Remnants
by spade-of-hearts
Summary: Under the ruthless rule of gang boss Gangstadorf, Hyrule has fallen from its pinnacle of glory to nothing more than a slum. After meeting the runaway princess, a city boy named Link chooses to accompany her on a journey to find the Hero and save the realm from Gangstadorf's clutches. Packed with action, adventure and wit, follow Link and Zelda's journey as they save Hyrule!
1. The Best of Times

**Welcome, all! Thanks for reading!**

 **For those of you who don't know me (which is pretty much everybody) I'm Caro, otherwise known as spade-of-hearts. Pleasure to meet you!**

 **But enough with introductions, though, right? You want to read! Let me just take care of a few things first.**

 **As you should probably know, this story is set in the future, when Hyrule has been taken over by the ruthless Gangstadorf. (It's spelled** ** _Gang_** **stadorf for a reason, just so you know. Should probably clear that up.) Now you can see Hyrule in a new light, with action-packed boss fights and new characters.**

 **Sorry for the monologue, you want to read. I hope you enjoy!**

 **Read on!**

Hyrule – or Hellrule, as it was known by its citizens – was a melting pot of all things dissolute and dangerous. The Gorons hated the Zora, the Zora hated the Deku Scrubs, and the Hylians hated everyone else. Walking alone at night would win you an arrow through your neck. On the outside, Hyrule Castle Town might just look like another slum metropolis, with dingy skyscrapers teetering on their foundations and dark, twisting alleyways, but to know the city you had to dig deep.

The arena was in the Goron's part of town, loud and rambunctious, with peddlers selling carts for zero rupees down and trying to pass off red potions cheap. Wallets exchanged hands as the crowd of bystanders clustered closer to the ring, beady eyes eager for a fight. The arenas were about the only places Gorons and Zora could get along, although a few of the sea creatures were showing off their boomerang fins in a contemptuous manner.

The first competitor was a champion Goron by the name of Grog, whose posters were plastered on any wall with an empty space on it. White tribal paint was smeared across the Goron's heavily built body, and his eyes narrowed as he sized up his competitor.

His opponent was a Hylian, which was strange. Most Hylians were shady business dealers or holed up in their apartments, smoking grass and rambling about how their toilets wanted paper. He was young, too, still a teenager, but well-built and strong for his age, with shaggy blond hair that brushed his shoulders. His clothes showed that he was from out of town – loose-fitting pants cinched with belts, and strange sandals he had exchanged for borrowed iron boots before the fight, which Hylians were allowed when fighting Gorons. Naked to the waist, the boy signaled that he was ready for the fight to begin. The Goron signaled also, a sly smile inching across his craggy face.

There was a sound of drums and the announcer ascended a short flight of stairs to his podium and hollered over the roar of the crowd.

"Welcome, welcome all, to the fight of the century!" It wasn't really, but the crowd bellowed even louder and jumped to their feet, taking swigs from the bottles they smuggled past security from the milk bar. "The young upstart Link versus the reigning champion Grog! Bets sit at 5,550 rupees..."

"How can he even hold that much?" Link muttered under his breath.

"But with no further ado, let the fight begin!"

The rules were simple because there were so few of them: push your opponent out of the ring and you win. Grog raised his leg and smashed it down on the arena floor, shaking a few Scrubs out of their seats, and the boy followed suit. Grog's smile turned to a sneer as the announcer began the fight.

"You're gonna get creamed, elf boy."

"We'll see..."

Grog inched towards Link, feinted to the right and delivered a crushing southpaw hit to his ribs, but somehow the boy stayed upright and shoved Grog back once, twice, before Grog managed to push him away. The few Hylians there cheered mightily, then quieted down when the crowd tossed them dirty looks.

The Goron growled and swiped at Link again, but he dodged the rocky fist and shoved Grog back again. Stumbling, he barely managed to right himself before Link struck again, swinging his fist and cuffing the Goron across the head. Grog bellowed and smacked Link away, and even with the iron boots on he was sent flying by the swipe.

Everyone shouted now, standing on their feet and clapping loudly, jingling their wallets and clashing their weapons together. The uproar was deafening, and rose even more so when the boy stood, wiping a thin line of blood from his chin, and approached the Goron again.

"Getting tired, little boy?" Grog taunted. "I'm only getting started."

"Me too." Link smirked, dropping down and sweeping Grog's feet out from under him. Taken by surprise, Grog dropped like a stone, and Link leaped up and kicked the iron boot's pointed toe into the Goron's scarred face.

Screams filled the arena as Grog rolled away, dazed with pain, and Link struck again, digging to metal into Grog. After a few more kicks it was obvious Grog wasn't getting up again. The announcer jumped down from his podium and held Link's hand high.

"And we have a winner! The upset! The horror! I'd be shocked, shocked if there was betting here, seeing as Mayor Gangstadorf has outlawed it, but say if you were to have been betting you can exchange dues now. Hypothetically, of course."

Rupees poured from wallets as Link was escorted out of the ring and given his prize money. He passed Grog on his way, who muttered darkly, "This isn't over, kid." Link spat back in retort and took his wallet proudly, pulling his shirt back over his head. There was a nasty bruise on his side where the Goron had hit him, already turning blue. A well-won war wound.

The Gorons in the crowd looked absolutely murderous as the next battle began, between two Zora, and Link saw the flash of a Giant's knife or two in the crowd and hurried out before things got ugly. But it was Hellrule, after all. Everything was ugly.

The streets were dark, illuminated by a few wandering fairies and haphazardly placed torches shining dully next to the electric lights in the shops. Set into the walls were Mayor Gangstadorf's electronic election posters, broadcasting 24/7. The sleazy-looking Gerudo grinned in the short video clip, sweeping an arm over a map of Hyrule. "Here to make the world a better place!" He proclaimed, and canned applause crackled from the speakers. Link rolled his eyes and moved on. Everyone knew Gangstadorf had the Moblins and Bokoblins, the two biggest monster gangs, under his wing, and anyone who tried to right the wrongs he had done on Hyrule would be executed. After all, that was what happened to Mayor Daphnes ages ago, and look where he ended up?

A few flaming Keese fluttered overhead, but they were smart enough not to challenge Link. He had wandered into a small market made of cardboard scraps and metal supports that sheltered the vendors from the light drizzling rain, and they beckoned to him as he walked past.

"Genuine Biggoron sword, yours for only twenty rupees, kid!"

"Have the nuts to buy some Deku Nuts!" A small Scrub shouted squeakily over the din, and someone swore back at him.

"Not even the Goddesses had looks like these! But your own Princess Zelda picture locket here! Animatronic, too! Only ten rupees for the man over here!" This shop was quite popular, which sickened Link, but he simply kept walking.

"I see it in the stars, young man... You will experience great fortune! Wealth, success, love! Only five rupees for a look into the crystal ball..." A minuscule fortune teller tottered towards him from her shop, waving a Joy Pendant at him like it was a weapon.

"No thanks, lady. And lay off the milk, will ya?" Link said over his shoulder, ignoring her miffed harrumph.

The alley emptied out onto a large street, which unfortunately was part of the notorious Red Lantern District. Scantily dressed Gerudo posed in the shop doorways, giggling at the businessmen who hurried by, unable to resist a glance their way. Lots of people milled about, in an ugly twist on window shopping.

"Come in and let me restore your life..." A Gerudo crowed at Link as he passed.

A few men were eagerly watching as two women performed a dance in the middle of the street, and were tossing rupees at them. The women were dressed up in pirate's garb, and an old man was dancing on his tiptoes behind the crowd, holding a pictograph box high above his head. He saw Link approaching and hurried to him.

"Sir, sir, could you get me a picture of a lady pirate?"

Shoving past him, Link moved on.

A crowd of Gorons stood in his way, and Link vaguely recognized them from the arena. Surprisingly, a few Zora were in their midst, and the only reason Zora and Gorons mixed were either to kill each other or unite against a common enemy, usually the Hylians. There were a few Hylians on the street, recognizable by their windsock caps and colorful uniforms, and a few had the shields of knights. It was kind of a sentimental thing to wear a knight's shield, since the Moblins were the only police force now, and it was visible from the wear and tear of the shield that it hadn't been used in ages, maybe generations.

"Hey, you." One of the Gorons grumbled, and Link stopped, then cursed himself for doing so.

"He's the one from the arena, isn't he?" A Deku scrub poked out from behind one of the Goron's legs and snickered. Link clenched his fists but tried to relax, nodding at the crowd. A few of the Gerudo women had stopped their flirting at the doorways to watch, and so had many bystanders. A bad sign indeed.

"Not many people can beat Grog, elf boy. You should be proud of yourself!" The lead Goron said lazily, striding casually towards Link, which was hard to do when you're made of rocks. Link didn't back down, though, standing his ground as the Goron came closer.

"Bust his head, Roxus!" The Scrub cheered, and one of the Zora smacked him.

"Shut up!"

"Naw, I just wanna have a good chat with my ol' pal Link. Tell you what, kid. They say actions speak louder than words. Let's have it out here – you and me. If you can beat Grog, you can beat lil' old me!"

Link was sorely tempted to beat the arrogant Goron to a pulp, but couldn't wear the iron boots outside of the ring and he'd be easy pickings against a Goron without them. Turning away from the eager crowd, he shook his head.

"Go take a long walk off a short pier, Roxus."

"Why? You a Cuccoo?"

Link froze as the Deku Scrub went "Bok bok bok!" He slowly turned around, pointing an accusatory finger at the Goron.

"Nobody calls me a Cuccoo, Roxus, _nobody!"_ And without a second thought he hurled himself at the Goron, punching away at every bit of rock his fists could find. He had only gotten started when a firm hand grabbed his shirt collar and dragged him away from the fight. Fists still swinging, Link shouted and cursed until his assailant dragged him into a dark corner of a nearby alley and clamped a gloved hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, will you? I bet the Demon King himself can hear you." A voice hissed, and Link was surprised to hear it was a girl.

"That's better. Do you honestly have to prove yourself to those idiots? It's no wonder why I got Wisdom and not you..."

"Look, lady, I don't know what you're talking about. You been at the milk bar or something?"

Twisting out of his captor's grip, which was surprisingly strong, Link tried to get a good luck at her. She wasn't quite as tall as him, and dressed in nearly all black, with a black veil pulled over her nose and mouth. Loose strands of blonde hair poked out of her head covering, and he could make out her bright blue eyes even in the darkness. She was dressed like a Gerudo, but her skin was far too pale, and she looked Hylian. It wasn't his business to know why people were in disguise, so he didn't ask.

"Of course you don't. Heroes." She scoffed.

"Okay, lady, I think you had a bottle too many. Why don't you head on home or something, okay?" Drunkards and zipheads weren't strangers to Hyrule Castle Town, and he wanted to shake this one off and go back and cream Roxus.

"Listen to me, for Nayru's sake!" The girl exclaimed, and Link froze.

"That's a bold move, lady. Gangstadorf doesn't like that kind of talk here."

The girl blew out of breath of air. "He had no right to suppress worship of the goddesses. What's he going to do about it, anyways?"

Link opened his mouth, trying to make the dumb girl shut her trap, but before he could the Gangstadorf election poster came alive a few feet away from them.

"Someone's been a bad girl!" It crowed, and the familiar shriek of a Bokoblin echoed from the depths of the alleyway.

"Wisdom, you said? You must not be from around here, lady. Come on!"

Grabbing the girl's hand in his, he yanked her out of the alley and sprinted across the street, dodging potbellied Gorons and a grumpy-looking Moblin, who brandished his spear threateningly as Link and the girl barreled past. The Bokoblin was getting closer, though, and Link dove into the crowd, hoping the crush of people would hide him from the oncoming attacker.

"What is that?" The girl asked, breathless.

"You don't know what a Bokoblin is? You must be from _way_ out of town."

"Why is it chasing us?"

Link looked up at the heavens. "Gangstadorf doesn't like anyone blaspheming. He says they're campaign posters, but they're really much more sinister, like his police when the monsters aren't around. Keeps you on your toes. They don't have as many in the slums, though. You _had_ to mention a goddess' name, didn't you?"

The girl spluttered with rage, then turned on him. "Don't you go poking at me – you were the one about to get crushed by that Goron!"

"Well excuse me, princess..." Link muttered, and someone in the crowd shouted, "There's a Bokoblin!"

Instantly the street was thrown into panic. The Gerudo screamed and fled back into their shops, and the Hylians withdrew their weapons. A few of the Zora and Goron got ready to fight, too, but most took the opportunity to throw some punches at each other. The confused Scrub who had been taunting Link said, "Bok bok bok!"

The Bokoblin stood in the middle of the street, its beady eyes squinting to search for its prey. A piggish snout sniffed the air, searching for the girl's scent. Satisfied, it withdrew a long cutlass and began to stalk the crowds.

Link's heart began to race. He wished he had a sword now, like the Hylians, but like the shields they were more ornamental. Mayor Gangstadorf would send in dozens more Bokoblins if the first got killed, and the Hylians were businessmen, not warriors. They probably didn't even know how to use their weapons. Link was good with his fists, but punches wouldn't do much damage to the thick skin of the beast, and the giant sword it held would skewer him in an instant. The girl gasped and hid behind him, and he heard her rummaging around with something behind his back. Not wanting to blow their cover, he stood still.

The Bokoblin was so close now Link could hear its gold earring jingling. Still sniffing like a grotesque dog, it was getting closer and closer to Link and the strange girl. Link saw its fingers edging towards a short horn hooked onto its belt and gulped. Bokoblin horns worked even better than radio for summoning forces fast, and reinforcements were the last thing he needed right now. He was about to whisper to the girl when she spun out from behind his back, and he heard a short _zing_ sound, and then an arrow releasing. There was a brilliant flash of light, and the Bokoblin clawed at its chest, where a glowing golden arrow had punctured its skin. The girl stood to his side, holding a golden child-sized bow at her side, staring at the monster with a fierce intensity that would make even Roxus cower in fear. Every poster on the street turned red and started blaring alarms.

"Are you _crazy?_ " Link whisper-shouted at the girl, then grabbed her arm and pulled her after him again. The crowd parted for them, and they ducked into another alley as soon as possible. "I think you're out of your mind. What in Faro..." Glancing at the alarm posters, he trailed off. "What in the great goddess' name do you think you're doing? You've got a death wish, lady. We need to get out of here."

"Why? Where are we going?" The girl protested as he pulled her after him, dipping through short passages and ducking under half-dried laundry hanging from hastily strung wires.

" _Because,_ now every one of Gangstadorf's minions are going to be coming after you. You killed a policeman – policemonster, I guess."

"That's not a policeman."

Link shook his head, wondering how he ended up with the most ignorant criminal in Hyrule. "Are you feeling all right, lady? Gangstadorf owns the police, and security all over the city. And now every poster in the city has your face on it!" He pointed at the nearest example, which showed a crazed-looking girl in black Gerudo garb holding a golden bow. WARNING: ALL PERSONNEL. CAPTURE AND IMPRISON IMMEDIATELY.

"Oh..." The girl put a hand to her mouth, panic flooding her features.

"Yeah, is that all you can say? Oh? And now I'm dragged into it, too. Look, my ride is close, and I know we can outrun them. If we get to my place in time you should be okay." Link glared back at the girl. Her eyes flashed for a second, but she didn't retaliate.

"Good. Listen, there are Moblins and Bokoblins everywhere in these parts, so you just keep your head down. Gerudo clothes are pretty common, so you should blend in all right. Whatever you do, don't attack them. And put your bow away."

The girl pulled open a small pouch tied to her belt. Link raised an eyebrow. "You think it's going to fit in there?"

He received a smirk in return. "Watch me." She held the bow over the opening, let go, and the bow miraculously slid in, vanishing from sight. She grinned at him when she saw his incredulous expression. "It's magic – bigger on the inside. But we need to keep going, right?"

"Um... Yeah." Link managed, still staring at the pouch with wide eyes. Magic items were pretty common in Hyrule Castle Town, but only the rich could afford them. Who was this girl?

After a few more twists and turns they emerged into a small paved clearing that resembled a massive tent, sewn together with scraps of blankets and rugs, sordid from years of rain and mildew. A Lizalfos stalked the entrance, its forked tongue flicking between its teeth. It faced Link and the girl as the approached, and drew a short knife. The girl flinched and backed away, but Link stepped forward.

"You tryin' to get through?" The monster grumbled in a crude form of Hylian.

"That's right." Link said boldly, crossing his arms. The girl shrunk back behind him, and he wondered if she had never faced off with a monster in her life. Besides shooting the Bokoblin, of course.

"Passage is ten rupees, but I'll make it five for your pretty friend." With astonishing speed the Lizalfos lunged for the girl, clasping her arm in its reptilian hand. She shouted in alarm and tried to tug away, reaching for her magic pouch with her bow. Link shot her a glance – _wait._

"Make it three and you've got a deal."

"You know, she is a pretty lil' thing. I might just keep 'er." The Lizalfos tugged the girl closer, and she kicked its legs, fighting to get away.

Blood rushed in Link's ears, but he kept up his cool demeanor. "Fine. Five it is."

He tossed a few rupees at the Lizalfos, who called to the girl's retreating back, "Your boyfriend is a miser, sweetheart! Let some of the guys around here show you a good time!"

The girl shuddered as they dodged past rickety carts of monster claws and waved away a vendor selling tamed Wallmasters ('Never lose your friends in a crowd again!')

"You okay? I'm sorry about that back there." Link said sheepishly, and the girl shook her head.

"It wasn't your fault, you're fine. Anyways, I never expected the city to be like this..."

Link looked at the girl a little closer. She seemed to be about his age, maybe a little younger, and certainly no older. Hyrule had been under Gangstadorf's rule for ages. How could she not expect the city to be what it was?

As they walked Link kept an eye out for the shiftier shopkeepers, watching a few dodge back into doorways or stare at him as they walked past. There weren't many posters in this part of town, but Link knew those kinds of looks.

"We need to get out of here. Fast."

The girl nodded quickly, keeping a hand on her pouch, and they quickened their pace through the monster den. They had almost reached the exit when the same Lizalfos they had paid at the entrance strode out from behind a display of Princesses-In-A-Bottle and flipped his blade out of its sheath.

"Wanted by the Mayor, eh, gorgeous? What did you do to incur Gangstadorf's wrath?"

The girl again reached for her pouch, but Link spoke before she could draw her weapon. "Leave her alone. We don't want a fight."

The Lizalfos snickered and shook its scaly head. "And I don't want to be down here, picking off convicts for a living. We can't always get what we want."

The Lizalfos opened its mouth to say something else, but Link smashed his fist into the the monster's jaw, loosing a few teeth as he did so, and burst forward past him and sprinted for the exit. "Run!" He shouted to the girl, who hurried after him, overturning the Princesses-In-A-Bottle display as she did so. The bottles shattered when they hit the slick pavement stones, creating a perfect diversion along with a barrier. The Lizalfos wasn't done yet, though; it spit out a tooth and leaped over the collapsed display, holding its knife ready.

"Go, go, go!" Link shouted. Lizalfos were fast, but if they got to Epona in time they'd be able to make an escape.

"What do you think I'm doing?" The girl grumbled, smashing her fist into a nearby poster. The screen shattered and Gangstadorf's sly face faded into blocky pixels. Another Bokoblin cry sounded from close behind them, and Link quickened his pace, shoving through crowds of Deku Scrubs and nearly running into a Goron.

"Watch where you're going, punk! _Hylians._ "

Finally Link rounded a corner and pulled the tarp off of his ride. Even in the dim light of the night you could see the moonlight reflecting off of her, and he stood back proudly for a second, waiting for the girl's reaction.

"It's... A motorcycle." She said, furrowing her brow.

"What did you expect, a horse? Epona's great for getaways, just sit on that back seat there and hold on tight."

The girl slid over the '3PONA' license plate and held on to Link's waist as he punched the throttle. The motorcycle roared to life and Link gunned the engine, causing the girl to nearly slide off of her seat. Screaming, she barely managed to pull herself back up before Link took off, driving through the tight, winding alleys back to his house. Citizens shrieked and dove out of the way to avoid getting crushed underneath Epona's heavy tires, and one man took a pictograph of them as they passed. Link lowered his head and pressed the motorcycle harder, racing through the rainy streets at an alarming speed. The girl held onto him tightly, tugging the breath out of his lungs.

Just as he pulled onto one of the main roads a huge four-wheeler pulled out of a parking garage, with POLICE written across its side. Link swore and turned Epona around, but the car had already seen them and was speeding after them, knocking a pack of Kikiwi out of its way.

"There's something on the top of the car!" The girl yelled into his ear.

"Quick-launch arrows." Link shouted back. "Keep your head down, and I'll make sure we're not an easy target.

A shower of arrows rained over Link's head as he swerved past the pedestrians crowding the streets, who hollered back at him angrily. They were even more disgruntled when the Bokoblin-driven four-wheeler came through, honking its horn mightily and shooting arrows everywhere.

A sweeping set of steps rose on the horizon and the girl gasped. "Can we make that?" She asked.

Link grinned and twisted his wrist back, causing the engine to roar. "You bet, but I don't think they can."

The girl screamed again as the motorcycle tore up the ground, speeding towards the steps, and the car's engine whined as it followed them. Arrows pinged off of the steps as Link and the girl approached, and the tires found traction on the stone and bumped up the first flight of chairs. A few startled birds and Goddess Butterflies fluttered away at the harsh sounds of the engines, and the few people tarrying on the steps dove away as Epona ascended. The car reached the stairs soon after and began to climb also, but at a drastically lowered pace, and the engine's whine had turned to a piercing whistle. The hood began to steam.

"I think we need a little more power..." Link mused, and opened a small hatch on Epona's controls. Inside was a small blue button, glowing dimly. "What do you say we spice things up?"

The girl shook her head quickly, but Link stabbed his finger down and the motorcycle let out a noise like an enraged Moblin and blue flames shot out of the exhaust.

"You used nitrous in your motorcycle?"

"No, I used carrots. Of _course_ it's nitrous!"

By the time Link and the girl had reached the top of the stairs the car had only managed to crawl to the second flight, steaming and groaning, before it leaned backwards and collapsed onto its top, rolling down the stairs with a crunching, jarring impact.

The girl winced and Link punched his fist in the air, satisfied. "Now that we've got one less thing to worry about, let's head home."

'Home' for Link wasn't much: a grungy studio apartment with walls that let in drafts and a small furnace in the corner that was the only provider of heat in the bitter winters. A pile of blankets and a bedroll occupied one corner as a makeshift bed, and a small table and chairs were the only other furnishings in the room. The table was cluttered with half-finished sculptures, empty wallets, and remains of the last night's meal. Hastily he tried to clean up some of the mess, suddenly self-conscious.

"Um, make yourself at home. It may not seem like much, but for now it's all yours."

"I think it's amazing!" The girl breathed, sounding totally honest, and Link smiled.

"Yeah... I have some clothes if you want to change out of those. They're clean, I promise. They might not fit so great, but you won't be recognizable."

The girl nodded and pulled down her veil and head scarf, revealing short, spiky blonde hair even shorter than Link's although it was a few shades lighter. Her face was open and young, unlike most of the grim faces of the citizens Link saw every day, and _very_ familiar. Where had he seen her before?

"Are you... The old mayor's daughter?" He asked, peering at her critically now, shocked. The girl rolled her eyes and glared at him.

"Yes, please, enough with formalities. That's why I escaped, you know."

"Your hair... It's different than in the pictures." Link said without thinking. _Stupid, stupid!_

"It's part of my disguise." Zelda explained, touching the tips of her hair. "Not every girl you come across has a magic bow, does she?"

Link blinked, hard. "Wait, wait, wait... You're _Princess_ Zelda, and you ran away from Hyrule Castle freaking Skyscraper to do... What, exactly?"

Zelda sat down on the floor, crossing her legs. "I escaped because I'm sick and tired of being Gangstadorf's puppet. Impa has been training me since I was little with my bow, trying to get me to a skill level where I could hold my own. He's _evil._ " She seethed. "Gangstadorf, I mean. I've only seen the city from above, and never expected it to be this..."

"Crappy?"

She looked at him strangely. "Maybe not how I would have put it."

"It's true, though."

Zelda shrugged. "It's like the whole place is a giant ghetto or something."

"You just hit the nail on the head, Princess." Link replied, rifling through a chest, searching for an extra pair of clothes.

"I never thought my kingdom... Or, Mayor Gangstadorf's kingdom, would fall this low. How did it happen?"

"I've only been around for so long. Try these on and see if they fit."

Zelda ducked behind a curtain to change and came out wearing a long, loose tunic cinched at the waist with a belt and baggy pants tucked into boots. From a distance she would look like any other random citizen, and only if you looked close did she resemble the Princess. Satisfied, Link took the old Gerudo clothes and tossed them into the furnace after removing Zelda's magic pouch.

"Can't leave any evidence." He explained. "This place reeks enough to disguise your scent, and we don't want to keep anything incriminating lying around."

After a few moments Link glanced at Zelda, who was fiddling with her bow.

"Why did you run away, anyways? Besides the whole Gangstadorf sucks thing, which I totally get."

Zelda nodded, looking morose. "It's going to sound ridiculous, but I want to bring him down."

"Who, Gangstadorf? Good luck, sweetheart. He's the biggest mob boss in the entire realm, maybe even the world. He has eyes and ears everywhere. You'd be dead before you could say Jabu-Jabu."

"Thanks for the optimism. There's a way I can defeat him, though. I know it."  
"Oh, and what's that?"

"I need to find the Hero."

Link scoffed. "Look, just because you've got the same name of the princesses of old doesn't mean you're assigned a Hero to help you along. Good luck with that."

"Your name is Link, the name of the Hero. Don't act so superior."

"Common name." Link objected. "Anyways, who says the Hero wants to help you? Gangstadorf if a powerful force by himself, but with his armies? Pff, you'd be a grease spot on the pavement."

"That's why I need to find him! If I can take him through the trials of spirit and find the sword of the goddess then he'll be ready to fight the Demon Lord!"

"Demon Lord? I'm no more of a fan of Gangstadorf than you are, but that's a little harsh. And what are these trials of spirit? Sound painful."

Zelda snatched a blanket from the bed and settled down on the ground. "I'll tell you tomorrow, okay? Let's just get some rest now."

 **So, what do you think? Questions, comments, concerns? Just type 'em into that review thingy below and I'll respond as soon as I can!**

 **Also, another thing: The cover art is not mine. Thought I should address that :) Credit goes to the very talented Blaqhawk on deviantart.**

 **Hope you're still interested! Updates will hopefully be every week, but I haven't written too far ahead, so that may change.**

 **I repeat, what did you think? I love to hear from you guys! Point out a grammar mistake, I don't care. Shoot me a message!**

 **That's all for today, folks. Until next time!**

 **P.S. I promise the other chapters won't be this** ** _long..._**


	2. Gamblin' Man

**Happy holidays, dear reader! Hope you're enjoying time off.**

 **Since it's Christmas and I'm positively overwhelmed with generosity and goodwill, we have another chapter! I think it's a pretty good one, but why don't you decide?**

 **That's all the announcements for today. Read on!**

Link was up long before Zelda and by the time she had woken up had prepared a decent meal and cleaned up the apartment a little more. The steamy smells of pumpkin soup wafted through the air and Zelda rubbed her eyes, looking blearily at Link.

"What time is it?" She asked, yawning.

"Late. I thought you might like to sleep in."

"Late? It's barely light out!" Zelda protested. She untangled herself from the blankets she had slept in and began to fold them, which was a nice gesture.

"Days start early here. Better get up and at 'em."

"Never say that again."

Link grinned wryly. "Yes, your majesty."

"Never say _that,_ either." Zelda dropped the blankets on Link's bed and turned to him, arms akimbo. "Okay, boss, what are we doing today?"

Link shrugged. "I just have a fight tonight, that's all. What to you do in the skyscraper, anyways? To pass the time."

"Mostly training with Impa, and having to suffer Gangstadorf's presence. You know his name isn't actually Gangstadorf, right?"

This was news to Link – he had only ever known the mob boss by that name. "Really?"

"Yup. It's Ganondorf. Ganondorf Dragmire."

"Both are pretty terrible."

"Can't blame the Gerudo for their choice in names. Do you have breakfast?"

Link nodded proudly. "Pumm's pumpkin soup. Famous around these parts, thought you might like to try."

She nodded warily, and Link could tell she wasn't too keen on anything that was famous in the slums. In a way, Zelda was kind of like the rich Hylians who would wander down into the grungier parts of the city by accident, taken aback by what they saw. _She probably thinks everything good comes from the heights._

"Try it, it's not Purple Chu Jelly – trust me, bad stuff. But Pumm is a respectable salesman, he even has clients up high." Link pointed to the ceiling, implying the skyscrapers.

"Okay..." Nervously Zelda brought the bottle to her lips, then drained it in one gulp. At first her face contorted into a poorly concealed grimace, then it faded. "That... Actually wasn't so bad."

"It's a start." Link muttered, then headed for the door.

"Wait! Where are you going?" Zelda exclaimed, tying her magic pouch to her belt.

"You said you wanted information about the Hero? You won't find it in here, princess."

Flushing angrily, Zelda retorted, "We'll need to go to a library to find ancient texts and things for research. And since we're now wanted criminals I don't think that's an option."

"Who said we need libraries? Hearsay works fine around these parts."

"Rumors won't help us, we need facts."

"Well, until you can figure a flawless way to get us into Hyrule Castle Skyscraper's library without getting caught or committed, I'm heading out."

He was halfway out the door when Zelda grabbed his arm and dragged him back inside. "Before you go, take this." She whispered, opening her magic pouch.

"I'm no marksman, princess. You can keep your bow."

But instead of withdrawing her weapon Zelda took out a small necklace, made of a sparkling blue stone that glowed brightly in the dim morning light. "It's the Pirate's Charm." She explained. "I can communicate with whoever possesses it at any time. It will alert you when I call."

Link tucked the necklace into his pocket. "Thanks, but couldn't you have just brought a phone?"

"Don't be stupid. Gangstadorf monitors all the phone lines."

Begrudgingly, Link realized she was right. "Okay. Um, thank you."

"You're welcome. It was Impa's, but then..." Zelda was quiet and Link stood awkwardly for a second, then stepped over the threshold of the apartment.

"Got it. See you soon, and I'll keep you posted on my progress."

Zelda laughed, and Link glanced up at her. "What?"

"Nothing... It's just that you can't speak back with the Pirate's Charm. Only I can speak to you."

"Perfect." Link groaned, and shut the door behind him.

As early as it was the streets were already crowded with peddlers and beggars alike, and the pubs were so full there was barely any elbow room. Link managed to weave his way into the crush of people and find a table with a few older men sitting at it, hunched over their milk bottles. By the looks of it, they'd been there all night. All three looked up when Link sat down, and one pulled out a small slingshot and aimed it at Link's forehead.

"Beat it, small fry. We don't want whatever you're selling."

Eyes fixated on the slingshot, Link raised his arms in a placating gesture. "I'm not selling anything, I just want information." He pulled out his wallet and set ten rupees on the table. The stumpy man on the right whipped out his arm faster than Link could blink and pocketed the money.

"Okay, we're interested." Stumpy said, smiling and revealing exactly two teeth.

"I want to know everything you can tell me about the Hero." Link said, placing another ten rupees on the table. This time the man on the left took the money, shoving it into one of many wallets that hung from his belt. The man was asking to get mugged.

"Sure, we'll tell you, kid." The middle man leaned forward conspiratorially, toying with an Amber Relic strung around his neck. "But all for a price."

"What are you asking?" Link crossed his arms and smirked.

"Fifty rupees for the legend, fifty more for the legacy, and fifty more for recent activity." Wallets snickered.

Link narrowed his eyes and jingled his wallet; six eyes flashed greedily to the sound. "Make it twenty for each and you've got a deal."

"You drive a hard bargain, kid. Unfortunately for us, you're in luck. Deal."

Link tossed sixty rupees at the men and they snatched the money off of the table. "You drive a hard bargain, too, mister. Spill."

Amber Relic twiddled his thumbs and took a draft out of his milk bottle before speaking. "It all started a long time ago, kid, when the goddess Hylia fought the great war, the first war."

"Tell me something I don't know." Link said, putting his wallet back into his pocket.

"Wait, wait, wait, kid! I'm not done yet! The hero, remember! Hylia's great warrior, sacrificed to save his people before the race was sent skyward!"

Amber Relic stared beadily at Link as he set the wallet back on the table. "Okay, keep talking."

"Right. The legend states that the Hero would be reborn every time Hyrule was is great danger. When darkness clouded the land, a light would emerge and scatter it away, restoring the balance. That's what the legend says." He licked his lips, angling his eyes at the wallet.

"Next?" Link's tone was bored, and the men began to panic.

"The legacy!" Wallets almost shouted, and a few people looked their way, annoyed. "The spirit of the Hero can be tracked throughout many generations, decades, centuries! Back to the original creation of the land by the golden goddesses!"

"Shut your mouth, watch the posters, will ya?" Amber Relic nudged Wallets with a sharp elbow. "The last thing we need is Gangstadorf on our tail."

"'Scuse me, sir, sorry about that. Um, anyways. The legacy! Across the centuries, tales of a lad in green saving the world from impending doom!"

"Like when?" Link asked, wondering how much the men really knew.

"When? Why, only a century ago, the stories of the mysterious twilight! Of course, we've had technological revolutions since then, and factual accuracy aside..."

"Shut up, will you?" Stumpy hissed, and Wallets fell silent.

"Forget what he said about factual accuracy, 'kay? And then, sooner than that, of four Heroes! Not only one, his being split into quadrants, saving the realm!"

Link raised an eyebrow and the three men scrambled to talk over each other.

"Obviously the legend of the Hero has factual evidence, sir, if you'd only pay a few rupees more I know someone..."

"And there was Gangstadorf's great ancestor, a man by the name of Ganon! A powerful dictator, all good collapsed under his reign!"

"Force gems! There were force gems too!"

"Okay, okay." Link stood, palms flat on the table. "You've all been wonderful help, but I have to go now."

"Stay, sir, stay! Ten rupees and I'll tell you where they keep the Hero's sword!"

Link turned to Stumpy. "Sword?"

Stumpy nodded eagerly, glad to have Link's attention again. "Yes, yes, sir! Well, I can't exactly show you, since it's in Crackariko Village and all..."

He scoffed and Stumpy jumped. "Why would something of the Hero's be in a dump like that?"

Stumpy squinted at Link. "Watch yourself, kid. Gangstadorf wouldn't like that we're telling you about the legends, anyways. You think he wants word going around about the Hero, either? Naw, better to keep it safe. All the crackheads there don't care about anything but their next high, much less a hero."

"One last thing." Link pulled out twenty more rupees. "I'll make it worth your while."

"Anything you say, kid. What's the buzz?"

"About the Hero... How does he become the Hero, anyways?"

"That's easy!" Wallets laughed, sounding like a drunken Octorok. "Funny we just mentioned the sword, too. Usually once the Hero finds the sword he can begin his quest. That'll be twenty rupees."

With his wallet considerably lighter but feeling satisfied with the information that he had found, Link left the pub and hurried back to the apartment. When he opened the door the first thing he saw was a golden light arrow pointed at his neck.

"Freeze!" Zelda said, looking defiant.

"Chill, princess. It's just me." Link had taken two steps into his apartment before taking a second look. "Did you... Clean up in here?"

Zelda shrugged. "I don't see how you live in this pigsty. How do you find anything?"

"I dunno... Magnetism? I love what you've done to the place." Everything shined and shimmered, and for once his sheets were clean, his desk organized, and the boiler was sparkling. It certainly looked nice, but it didn't feel like home.

"So what did you find out?" Zelda asked, pulling out his desk chair and sitting down, crossing her legs.

"Not much... Only I know where the Hero's sword is." Link admitted and Zelda gasped.

"No way! Really?"

"You prefer libraries to hearsay? Or was that just my mind playing tricks on me?"

Link could tell Zelda was trying to look stern, but she started to grin. "Okay, fine. Where is it?"

"That's the bad news – Crackariko Village."

"You mean Kakariko Village?"

"Same difference. Anyways, Gangstadorf put the sword there because, as the name implies, Crackariko Village is home to the biggest and baddest drug cartels in Hyrule. No one would notice anything unusual there."

Zelda nodded. "As much as I hate to admit it, Gangstadorf is pretty clever. He knows how to use his people."

There was a knock at the door and both froze. Zelda had just shoved her bow into her magic pouch when the door burst open and Stumpy from the bar walked in, followed by two Lizalfos – not Lizalfos, Aeralfos, symbolized by their withered wings. Both had sharp curved swords engraved with some sort of pattern. This time Zelda didn't back away, though, glaring so intently at Stumpy that Link was surprised the man didn't cower in fear.

"You were mentioning Gangstadorf, love? Oh, do go on, I'm all ears."

"Link, you know this guy?"

"Oh, Link? No wonder you had so many questions about the Hero, kid. It may be news to you, but Gangstadorf is after the Hero, too. And when he heard some whispers about a nosy kid looking for information... He was interested, indeed. Your death might get me a promotion. And _you,_ love – you're the famed Princess Zelda, aren't you? Oh, this will give me a mighty windfall, all right!"

The Aeralfos flicked their tongues between their sharp teeth and began to approach Zelda, who withdrew her bow in an instant and aimed the sharp arrow's point between the monstrous lizard's eyes. It retreated back a half-step and let out a mighty screeching roar.

"Can you tell him to keep it down? The neighbors will complain and the super is a nightmare to deal with."

" _Not_ the time, Link!" Zelda muttered.

Link had seen fights with Aeralfos before, but the opponents always had weapons. Besides, the Aeralfos had metal helmets on, and arrows might not pierce it. It was a gamble.

"Regards from Gangstadorf!" Stumpy cackled, and sauntered out of the room. Before he could reach the doorknob Zelda had fired off two shots and both Aeralfos had stumbled to their knees, arrow shafts embedded in their skulls. Zelda dove past the fallen beasts and rejoined Link as he pulled Stumpy back by his shirt collar. The old man spluttered as Link shoved him up against the wall and pulled back his fist for a punch.

"You work for Gangstadorf?"

"Listen, mister, I mean no disrespect..."

Link was about to try to pummel some information out of him when Stumpy pulled a monster horn out of his pocket and blew it with all his might. Before Link could dampen the sound another monster horn signaled back. With one punch Link sent the old man sprawling and snatched Epona's keys.

"Reinforcements. Run!"

Link started Epona hastily and Zelda followed, twisting in her seat to face the apartment behind them, her bow ready, in full view of the posters, which began to blare red again. She had only been watching for a moment when the apartment was shredded by a booming explosion; shrapnel clattered down on the road behind them.

"What happened?"

"A Bombchu." Link shouted back. "Stumpy needed a fail-safe in case we didn't follow the plan."

"But your stuff! And..."

Link shook his head, although he doubted his Zelda could see. "There wasn't much anyways. Besides, there's nothing here for us anymore."

"What do you mean?" Zelda asked. Even over the whine of the engine he could hear the panic in her voice.

"Buckle your seatbelt, princess. We're Crackariko Village bound."

 **Let's try something new. Today's collection of reviews donates twenty rupees to the Refugees of Gangstadorf's Wrath Foundation, which will supply young heroes and heroines with proper shelter, food and water for their long journeys. Every review counts! Your review could save a Hero's life!**

 **Aside from our fictional collection box, what do you think of the election posters/ Gangstadorf's spyware? I drew inspiration from that one episode of Doctor Who, The Beast Below. Remember the Smilers? *shudders***

 **Even if you don't want to donate your hard-earned rupees to a fictional charity, why don't you review and tell me your thoughts so far? Where else do you think Link and Zelda will travel? Anything you like or dislike? Think of it as your Christmas present to me.**

 **Speaking of Christmas presents, comment a favorite story you've written and I'll check it out! It's the least I can do when you're reading mine. I didn't have time to wrap it, but do you like it?**

 **Can't wait to see the rupees/reviews pour in (or not. We'll see who isn't the Grinch this Christmas.)**

 **Happy holidays again from this side of the screen! Hope you have a great day!**

 **Until next time!**


	3. Start Your Engines

**Technically, I should be updating on Friday, since I plan to update once a week. Don't think I mentioned that before, and the Christmas chapter was a bonus. For the record, updates will be weekly, usually Saturday!**

 **That's actually the real reason I posted this chapter, to alert you of that. Also because this has easily skyrocketed to one of my most popular stories yet. (WOW MUCH? Thanks a million!)**

 **Hope you've been having a great break, if you have a break. I have, and it's been very nice, thank you so kindly for asking. Thank you so kindly for reading, too.**

 **Speaking of reading, who cares about the bolded text? Read on!**

The ride to Crackariko Village wasn't all fun and games, as Link soon realized. After driving for hours on end hunched over a motorcycle he was saddle-sore and sun-sick and wanted nothing more than to drive straight into a lake. Hyrule Field, a motley of tent camps and yellowed grass, was far brighter than Hyrule Castle Town, and he was constantly squinting in the glaring light. His skin stung from the harsh light, and the thick fabrics of his clothes that had been perfectly suited for the city were sweaty and abrasive now. When a small building rose on the horizon he was perfectly happy to stop, and thankfully Zelda was too.

When Epona ground to a halt in front of the building Link glanced up at the sign, shielding his eyes from the sun.

"Lon Lon Auto Dealership. Think they'll have gas?"

Zelda shrugged, and Link noticed her nose was peeling. "Probably the only place out here that would."

The auto dealership was surrounded by a stone wall, and as steep ramp led up to store. Link could see a few beat-up pickups with worn for-sale signs on the windshields and raised his eyebrows.

"Classy place."

"Look who's being picky. Come on, let's get out of the sun."

Link glanced back at Epona. "Should I just leave her here?"

"Where do you think she's going to go?"

"Fair point."

After their short trek up the ramp to the shop Link could appreciate how dilapidated the shop was – it probably hadn't had a customer in years. Three auburn-painted trucks squatted on flat tires, sporting speckled windshields, but the hoods were raised and Link peeked inside to see gleaming engine parts and what looked like lots of complicated modifications. A sign hung in the front window of the store:

Lon Lon Auto Dealership

No Moblins/Bokoblins/Suitors

Credit Not Accepted – Rupees Only!

"Promising." Link noted, and opened the door.

The inside of the shop was even more disheveled than the outside. It seemed to be an old barn converted for commercial use, complete with loft and ladder. It even smelled like animal waste. Behind the counter sat a bored-looking girl with brilliant red hair and a long white dress, which couldn't have been comfortable in the heat, picking at her nails. When Link and Zelda entered she didn't even look up.

"Welcome to Lon Lon Auto Dealership. How may I help you?" She droned, and Link took the opportunity to check out the inventory. A small blue pot sat on top of one shelf, and a slingshot sat beside it, coated in dust. Next to it there was a wallet with a gaping hole in the bottom, a bundle of carrots, and a few spare auto parts, cracked or otherwise unusable.

"Promising." Zelda whispered.

"Um... Hey. You have any gas?" Link asked, a little too loudly, and the girl looked up from her nails.

"Gas? What do you need gas for?" The girl smiled, and there was a devilish gleam in her eye that made Link wary.

 _What does she think we're going to do with gas, drink it?_ "We need fuel for our ride."

The girl shot out of her seat, ignoring Link's sarcasm. Her eyes were wide and she clutched the edge of the desk so tightly her fingers turned white.

"You have a ride?" She whispered.

"Funny you ask, we walked all the way here. I was obviously lying about my ride a second ago."

Zelda shot Link a _be cool_ look and cleared her throat. "Yes we do, Miss... Um..."

"Malon." The girl said, grinning from ear to ear. "Nayru, it's been a long time since I've ridden."

"Strong words." Link commented.

Malon flinched. "Just don't tell my Pop, okay? He hates it when I swear."

Link loosed his wallet from his belt. "And how much will it be for gas?"

The girl flipped her red hair over her shoulder. "For you, no charge."

Zelda was about to speak when Link interrupted her. "What's the catch?"

Eyes narrowing, Malon's grin widened even more. "You'll have to race me for it."

Minutes later they were outside of the ranch. Malon had tied her hair back and was gunning the engine of the most rickety and beaten-up pickup truck Link had ever seen. It had probably seen the rise of city in the skies, it was so old. When Malon first turned the key the exhaust spat out a cloud of fumes that looked suspiciously like monster vapors.

Link leaned on the trembling hood. "What does she run on?"

"Gasoline and Hylia knows what else. I add some crushed monster claws for a little extra kick."

The engine conveniently backfired and Zelda scrambled back, eyes wide.

"What, you never seen a car before? She may look like hell but she is as fast as hell. What's your ride, elf squirt?"

"I'm glad you asked." Link smirked and ran back to where Epona was parked. Taking a moment to rev the engine, he roared up the ramp to where Malon waited, spun the motorcycle in a donut and kicked his foot down to stop his momentum. Both of the girls' jaws had dropped and he looked pointedly at Malon.

"Ready to ride, ranch girl?"

She gripped the steering wheel and the engine gave another rasping whine. "On my mark."

Link had raced before, and was prepared when Malon shouted "Go!" a second later. Zelda had to leap out of the way to avoid being crushed by Epona's tires.

The track would be simple – three circuits around the paddock inside the ranch. Link easily sped ahead and leaned towards the fence to hug the curve, and Malon roared behind him, the front bumper of her truck nearly touching Epona's license plate. He was at a disadvantage there – if Malon happened to hit him from the back or sides he would be powerless to stop the motorcycle from flipping over and killing him. He was faster, though, and Malon's old truck would hopefully burst its radiator before the race was over. But Link learned quickly that Malon didn't want to play fair.

First it was a gentle nudge from behind that nearly sent him over the handlebars on the starting lap, and he lost precious seconds collecting himself when Malon pulled ahead. The back of her truck was full of boards and loose objects that flew at him whenever the truck hit a bump, and he had to use one arm to shield himself from the debris. The boards were stacked so that they leaned against the top of the truck like a ramp, and Link knew one good jostle could knock them out of the back.

Gritting his teeth, Link punched the throttle and Epona roared forward; soon he was neck and neck with Malon around the curve. Luckily the truck wasn't as agile turning and Link pulled ahead again, bent low over the handlebars. Malon's rattling truck never lost ground, though, and she let out a yell and they were side by side again. She began to pull in closer to his flank, and he glanced quickly to his left. The fence surrounding the paddock was only a foot away from him, and if he even grazed it at this speed he would lose control of Epona and crash. Still Malon drove closer, though. Link stared at her as they sped down the straightaway, and her eyes glittered with an excitement and competitive urge that Link had seen in the best fighters in the ring. She wanted to win.

On the next curve Link couldn't lean in because Malon was so close, but he pushed the motorcycle faster and sped in front of Malon again. The girl wasted no time, however, and Link heard the her engine give a hacking sound before she rammed her fender into Epona with a crunching sound.

Link yelled in surprise and swerved Epona away from Malon, letting her pull ahead again. He was preparing to speed up again when Malon began to approach him again from the side, grazing his left leg, barely an inch from the tires.

"Having fun?" Malon shouted over the engines and Link yanked his wrist back, forcing Epona to go even faster. He rocketed in front of the truck and hugged the next curve, ready for the last lap.

Somehow, _somehow,_ Malon got her rust-bucket of a truck to pull up right behind him, and he pulled to the side so she couldn't ram him. She tried to get ahead, but Link pulled Epona back in front, weaving in and out so Malon couldn't get a clear shot of him. Another curve was fast approaching, though, second-to-last before the race would be over. He leaned into the curve so much his knee ground into the rocky dirt of the track, and he winced. If it meant he won this race it would be worth it.

The shove sent him careening dangerously close to the fence, and Malon was ahead again. The ramp of her truck's back storage area had come undone and was dragging along the ground. Link could see that the boards were fixed in place by a small lip that connected the ramp to the truck, and a crazy idea formed in his head. _You are an idiot. This is going to be amazing._

He let Malon take the last curve in the lead and then pushed Epona forward with the last of her speed, an inch from Malon's truck ramp, and then _up_ Malon's truck ramp, and up the boards, which surprisingly held him, over the top of the truck, and leaped over Malon's windshield and engine in front of her, driving over the white chalk finish line.

He turned in to where Zelda was standing, hands over her mouth, and Malon stopped the truck so sharply the back end reared a foot off of the ground. When she exited the truck her hair was frizzy and wild, and her eyes were furious.

"Cheater! You cheated!"

Link limped over to her and held out his hand. "So is purposefully nudging me. Gas, please?"

Malon's face turned as red as her hair and she spluttered with rage, but finally conceded and led Link and Zelda back to the shop, where she pulled a full can of gas from behind the counter. She didn't even flinch when Zelda put in in her pouch and it disappeared.

"Thanks for the race!" Link called back to her as they walked out of the door.

"That... Was crazy." Zelda admitted as they walked back to Epona.

"Crazy awesome?"

"Crazy freaking amazing!"

Link grinned. "Glad to see you approve, princess."  
Once Epona had a full tank of gas they sped off in the direction of Crackariko Village. After the race they seemed to crawl along, but Link didn't care. In only an hour the excitement of the race had passed and they were driving along again, tired and sore. He elected for a break by a large hill, and Zelda agreed.

They sat for a while, talking about Zelda's plan to find the Hero.

"It came about rather suddenly. I had been doing some reading about the legends in the library, and whenever the realm was in danger a Hero would always come. So I figured, what if I found this Hero, and he helped me save Hyrule?"

"What do you mean, 'save Hyrule?' How are you going to do it?"

"That's the thing – I don't really know. I don't know who the Hero is, either."

"So are we at square one?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"How do you even find a Hero? Let out a few damsels in distress as bait?"

"Has anyone told you that you're an idiot?"

"Actually, you'd be the first. Most just run away in fear."

Crackariko Village was still a good distance away, so they rode for a few more hours until the sun began to set.

"Ready to set up camp?"

Zelda glanced at him. "Camp? Aren't we going to the city?"

"Not at night, unless you want to kiss your precious belongings goodbye." Link hopped off of Epona and sat down on the grass.

"What do you mean?" Zelda joined him, staring at the sunset.

"Raiders. Gerudo, Bokoblin or otherwise. Gangstadorf sends them off to do his dirty work, too. Rumor has it they kidnap kids and ride around with them tied to sticks, waiting for a challenger. No one ever comes, though, so most of the kids end up as slaves."

Zelda shuddered. "That's sick."

"That's life, princess. Welcome to Hyrule."

Turning to face him, Zelda narrowed her eyes. "How did you even get Epona, anyways?"

Link laughed. "It's a great story, actually. So one day I was in a fight, minding my own business, when the Zora I'm fighting gets his flippers in a twist because I beat him. And I say, 'Easy, bro. All's fair in love and cheap arena fighting.' But it turns out this Zora has a gang of buddies who are equally bloodthirsty, and I figure it's time for me to get out of there.

"I'm outside, looking for something I can get home on, fast, and there she was, Epona. Some fat Hylian had her keys dangling out of his pocket, and it was easy work from there. I had her repainted later, to avoid suspicion, but no one ever really came looking for her. Guess they saw me driving into the slums and just kissed her goodbye."

"And the Zora?" Zelda asked.

"They learned never to mess with me again. Besides, they're too busy fighting the Gorons, they don't care about one skinny kid beating them up in a fight."

Zelda was silent for a moment, turning her pouch over in her hands. "I never thought Hyrule would be like this."

"Do you really think one guy can fix it?"

Zelda met his eyes, and when she spoke her tone was sincere. "Yes, I do. I know he can."

 **This week's reviews/favorites/alerts go to the NAHMAC (National Association for Hylian Motorcycles Auto Racing) to see if we can get Link into their next race. At any rate, I'm sure Malon will get into NASCAR no problem. Who knew, right?**

 **It's an update, and you know what that means - tell me what you think so far! What do you think will happen in Crackariko Village? Any boss fights you're anticipating? Any spelling mistakes (I'm serious about this, anything to hear from you)?**

 **For those of you who reviewed already, THANK YOU! Your support means so much to me! Stay awesome.**

 **I think that's all for today. Until next time, dear reader!**

 **Next time being: probably next Saturday. See you then!**


	4. Crackariko Village

**It's finally Friday! I was so excited from all of your feedback I wanted to post sooner. But a schedule is a schedule, right?**

 **Ready to get to Crackariko Village? And, like Gangstadorf, it's spelled like that for a reason. You'll see... *winks***

 **Any news from this side of the screen? Not really, but I'll update you later. For now, read on!**

 **(Getting used to the catchphrase, yeah?)**

They drove into Crackariko Village at dawn the next morning, and Zelda gasped as they rode under the gate.

 _CRACKariko Village_

 _Moblins and Bokoblins on Duty_

"Do they have the election posters here?" Zelda asked, swiveling her head around as they parked Epona in front of a run-down potions shop.

"Nah. Most voters are in Hyrule Castle Town, and the crackheads might accidentally vote for the wrong person. Hate to have a bloodbath on our hands."

Zelda pressed her hands to her temples. "I'm going to be sick. He can _do_ that and get away with it?"

Link stopped for a second, then placed a hand on her shoulder. She didn't flinch away, which was a good sign.

"Hey, it's going to be okay. You have your Hero you're going to find, right? It's all good."

After a moment Zelda slowly nodded. "Okay. Let's go."

If possible, Crackariko Village was even more rank than Hyrule Castle Town, with gang members slouching around every corner and streets that were totally dark except for dim shop lights flickering to the sides. The smell of burning plastic and sharp citrus filled the streets, masking any other scent. Zelda gagged and Link wrinkled his nose.

"They don't call it Crackariko Village for nothing." He muttered, and Zelda nodded.

The buildings around them were a motley of white brickwork houses with red gabled roofs and skyscrapers sticking out of the ground like twigs hastily jammed into the earth. A single windmill stood far off in the distance, covered with grime and graffiti. Link could make out some of the words from where he stood.

"Cuccoo Fighting: 10:00"

"Gorons Rule Supreme"

"Death to the Fish-heads"

Link knew that the old rivalry between the Gorons and the Zora was everywhere in Hyrule, but Crackariko Village was the Zoras' home turf. They claimed it was a sacred place to their race and thus had set up most of their headquarters there. The Zora also liked to show off their dominance by having long water-filled tunnels to enter buildings, keeping anyone but the Zora out. Crude, but effective.

"We should find somewhere safe to stay while we look for the sword." Link said, and Zelda laughed nervously.

"Are you sure we'll be able to find a safe place in _this_ town?"

"Thanks for your support, princess. Look, this is like every other town. There's going to be certain areas for certain people. We just have to find the Hylian one, okay?"

"Okay." Zelda whispered, clenching her magic pouch in one fist.

"And it might be good if you're ready to use your bow. Just sayin'."

"Right."

They turned a corner, wandering aimlessly, only to bump into Stalfos waiting for them, dragging its long pointed sword behind it. Link stepped back quickly as it chattered at them, teeth clattering against each other. Metal plates shielded its shoulders, and a large engraved shield guarded its left side. Behind him Link could hear Zelda fumbling for her bow, to no avail. Stumbling backwards, he whispered, "Run!" In her ear and sprinted for the next alleyway. Poes loomed in the darkness, waving their lanterns at them, but Link dodged their swipes and hurried on. The footsteps of the Stalfos were fading as they ran, dulling to a faint murmur and then silence.

"I didn't think finding the Hero would involve so much _running."_ Zelda panted as they sat down on the steps of an apartment, catching their breath.

"The sooner we find shelter, the better."

"Scum!" A shrill voice screeched from above them, and Link and Zelda dodged out of the way as a pot was hauled out of a window and smashed down where they had been sitting a moment ago. "Don't you come around here again, no-good rotten Crackariko Village trash!"

Link cast Zelda a knowing glance. "I think we found the Hylian part of town."

Apartments and cheap ground-floor cafes radiated out from a plaza that contained a few rickety tables and a well. A pair of kids were playing tag, dodging behind the well to hide, and stared openly as Link and Zelda walked up to them.

"Hey, kid. Know where we can find a hotel?"

"Sure, mister. Go look for Kakariko's Inn, it's a little ways down that road."

"Thanks." Link gave him five rupees and the boy grinned.

"Thank you, mister!" And he took off.

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "Kakariko's Inn? Doesn't that sound kind of shifty to you?"

"Everything is shifty, princess. That's why we're trying to find your Hero, right?"  
True to the kid's word, the inn was the most recognizable place on the street, glowing with a warm light and projecting the sound of conversation. The street was also free of crackheads, which was a first.

"Doesn't look too bad to me. Then again, I wasn't raised in a castle skyscraper, so perhaps I can't be given full credit for my opinions..."

Zelda blushed furiously and pretended to ignore his comment as they walked into the inn. The innkeeper was a jovial, round-bellied man who was more than happy to give them directions around the city.

"Tourists, huh? Don't have much of your kind around anymore, ever since Gangstadorf came to rule."

"Yeah, we're looking for something my buddy told me about back at home. The sword of the Hero – ring a bell?"

The innkeeper's perpetual smile faded to a frown. "Ah, yes. Gangstadorf brought it here many years ago, to be kept hidden from the world. All of the years surrounded by evil... Who knows if the sword even has its power anymore? It is unclean, not fit for a Hero. Not much of a draw for tourists, either."

"Right. But you don't happen to know where it is, do you? I'd love a pictograph." Zelda put in helpfully, even giggling a little bit, which added to the effect.

The innkeeper's smile hitched back up and he nodded at Zelda. "Of course, I'll mark it on your map."

Minutes later they were back on the streets and Zelda was turning the map, trying to discern their location.

"I can't make sense of it. It's like a maze!"

"Hyrule Castle Town is no better. Wish he would have put where the drug lords are, so we can avoid them."

The sword was located in a dusty old museum on the opposite side of town, so they had a long trek before them. Almost as soon as they walked out of the Hylian area the streets went dark and every shadow seemed to shift into the form of another terrible monster. Zelda was ready with her bow this time, and Link kept a keen eye out for any semblance of danger. After a misadventure with a ChuChu and an impromptu bottle with flying floor tiles they were at the doors of the Wild Tokay Museum, which were boarded up and guarded by two Zora. Unlike the Zora Link was used to from Castle Town, these two looked fierce and very dangerous. Their spears added to the effect.

"What are you here for?" They asked, in a strange accent different than the Zora in Castle Town.

"Um, we're visiting from Hyrule Castle Town. We came to see the Hero's sword!" Zelda said, her voice perky and annoying enough to be believable. The Zora shook their heads, though.

"The sword is no longer the sword you know it as, Hylian. It had been corrupted here, its powers corroded by the evil that lurks in the streets."

Zelda laughed airily. "That's all right! We'd still like to see it."

Again the Zora shook their heads, and Link could detect a shift in their moods. It was time for them to dispose of the annoying tourists.

"We should go." He said, voice low that the Zora didn't hear them.

"No. No one is allowed admittance into the chamber without permission from Mayor Gangstadorf himself."

Link's s blood ran cold. The Zora were with Gangstadorf. Surely they had recognized Zelda, and they would be on the run again, and this time without a sword.

"We should go _now."_ He urged, and Zelda took a step back.

"Oh, okay. Sorry to bother you."

The Zora stepped forward from their posts and withdrew their spears. "No one has come asking about the sword in years. Why do you care now?"

"You know, see the high points, that kind of thing!" Zelda struggled to keep up the tourist demeanor while the Zora continued their approach. Those spear tips looked mighty sharp.

"You know, lady tourist, you look a lot like the runaway princess. Word got around that she was looking for the Hero. And here you are, searching for his sword."

"Zelda? Oh, I won a look-alike contest once! That's how Epona and I got the money to travel here."

Link stifled a groan. _Epona? You couldn't try a little harder, Zelda?_

"Yes. Well, you and Epona run along now. I'd hate for two young tourists to get in trouble with Gangstadorf."

"Yes!" Zelda squeaked, and grabbed Link's arm, guiding them down the street and away from the museum.

"Epona?" Link asked when they were out of earshot. "Really?"

She flushed angrily. "It was the first thing that came to my mind, okay? Did you want me to call you Malon or something?"

"It would've been better than Epona..." Link grumbled.

"And now we can't get into the museum. Great." Zelda said, and Link shushed her. "You're telling me not to talk? Some help you were back there, too, I should add!"

"Shut up!"

At the end of the alley stood a hunched man, stumbling towards them with unsure footsteps. His beard was long and stringy and his jaw was slack. Zelda cringed away as he approached them.

" _You!"_ The man screamed vehemently, tugging a knife from his belt and waving it at Link and Zelda. "You're the one who's been following me!"

"What? No, sir, we're just tourists, we're not following anyone." Link said, holding up his hands in surrender. The man ignored them, swinging the knife in a swift arc that would have gutted Link if he hadn't dodged out of the way.

"Stop!" Zelda yelled, and the man his glassy eyes towards her.

"Zelda, get out of here!" Link called to her, but Zelda took her bow out and aimed it at the old man. He was still fixated on Link, though, and tackled him to the ground. Link crashed to the cobblestones and rolled out of the way when the man stabbed down with his knife, then rolled again to avoid the second blow.

"Don't shoot!" He planted his foot in the old man's belly and sent him careening backwards into a pile of boxes. The man was surprisingly spry and got up swiftly, swinging the knife around him blindly, then lunging for Link again. The knife missed but bony knuckles dug into Link's ribs and he struck at the man, who fell to the ground, moaned, then crawled to his feet again. Link braced himself for another attack when the old man wheeled around and slashed at Zelda. She yelped and held up her bow to block the swipe, and the light momentarily blinded their attacker. Link kicked out and caught the man in the ribs, knocking the breath out of him, and Link turned on his heel and ran for the next alleyway.

"What was that all about?" Zelda gasped, shoving her bow back into her pouch.

"You think they call this Crackariko Village for nothing? Meet Crackhead Number One."

They wasted no time getting back to the inn, but weren't as fortunate when it came to enemy encounters. A few Gorons ambushed them only blocks from the museum and a swarm of Poes led them off-course and into the sewer cleaning facility before they realized what happened. Finally, tired and bedraggled, they reached the inn again, glad for the aimless chatter of the Hylians and the warmth of the fire.

"Now what?" Link asked, looking at Zelda over his bottle of milk. She had elected for water.

"I don't know. My plans were kind of riding on finding the sword."

"Yeah, and holding Hero auditions. Who can perform the most noble deeds? Maybe we'll hang you over a pit of lava or something."

"You're insufferable. Why did I even let you tag along?"

"I'm your set of wheels, princess. Besides, you'd be dead by now without me."

"Oh, _sure._ But anyways, the sword is the key to finding the Hero."

"Cart it around for long enough and he's bound to show up."

Zelda sighed, drumming her fingers against the table top. "So have you got a plan, mastermind?"

"You bet. Let's take a page out of the Gerudo's book."

"And do what, wear slinky clothes and dance?" Zelda asked, disgusted.

"No. Let's steal it."

She shook her head. "No way. You saw those guards, there's no getting past them."

"Pfft, two Zora guards who haven't seen work in years? I bet they don't know what side of their spears stab people. I've fought worse."

"You're going to go in and challenge them with just your fists?"

"Your Hero may need a sword, princess, but I'm good with my bare hands. But I'm thinking of a different way in."

"Yeah? And what's that?"

"Where else? The roof."

 ** _Mission: Impossible - Hylian Recon_** **coming out next year!**

 **Just kidding. Think it would make a good movie, though? Easily a blockbuster.**

 **Today's votes and reviews are dedicated to the Let's Get Link An Item Already Organization! Bows, Bottles, even Clawshots are available for donation, but only if you act now!**

 **Aside from that whole thing, you might want to add this to your chapter alert (whatever it's called) thing in case I'm off-schedule for updates. If you're kept up with any of my other fics I had a Tuesday update once... Oops. Just in case, you might want to do that, but it's completely up to you.**

 **What do you think so far? Crackariko Village looking kind of grungy, huh?**

 **Even if you're not in the charitable mood, tell me your thoughts so far! Heck, you can PM me if you want, I don't care. I LOVE to hear from you!**

 **I believe that's all for today. Until next time, dear reader!**


	5. Mission: Impossible

**It's Friday, and you know what that means - update day! I was so excited to update I almost posted this chapter yesterday, but we're on a schedule, right?**

 **I caved and named the chapter Mission: Impossible.** ** _Hylian Recon_** **was too good to ignore, right?**

 **May I just say... THANK YOU! Thank you for all of the reads and especially your reviews! They mean so much to me - kind of freaking out over here!**

 **I'll be reading your review and you'll say something like 'I laughed so hard at (fill in the blank)" and I can just imagine you reading this on your computer/tablet/phone and see you laughing and wow! That is my goal for this story, I want to make you laugh, because there's already too little of that anymore. :)**

 **And I've gone overboard with the pre-author's note again. Read on!**

After acquiring some rope and teaching Zelda how to tie a proper burglar's knot (it had a name, but burglar's knot sounded cool) they were waiting on the roof of the Wild Tokay Museum for the sun to set. The Zora guards had been disposed of by two well-placed arrows and lay bound and gagged in the doorway of a nearby apartment. Even though she had incapacitated two elite soldiers with only her bow, Zelda still looked nervous as she surveyed the sunset, drumming her fingers on the shaft of an arrow.

"Relax, princess. We still have a while before darkness. Besides, there's no one around, and in this town stealing is a hobby, but with a better payday."

Zelda shuddered, like she couldn't imagine a worse fate than to be stuck in a dump Crackariko Village.

"What, you think people didn't steal from Hyrule Castle Skyscraper, either? "

Her eyes flashed but she said nothing as Link peered down into the museum. The glass was stained and clouded from years of disuse and from not being cleaned since fusing Kinstones was hip. Below he could faintly see the carpet of the lobby, but that was about it. Sunlight bounced off of the glass panes, coloring the buildings around the museum a faded gold.

"How much longer is this going to take?" Protested Zelda, pacing across the length of the roof.

"I'm as excited to get in there as you are, believe me, but we have to wait 'till sundown. It's been forever since my last burglary and I need to practice my breaking in and entering skills."

Zelda's eyes narrowed and he took a hasty step back. After seeing how easily she had taken down the Zora he was in no hurry to be on the receiving end of one of those arrows.

"You know the plan?" She asked, and Link groaned.

"Maybe I wouldn't if you didn't drill it into my head ten thousand times."

She ignored him, and he assumed she was reviewing the plan for her own benefit. "We rappel into the lobby and scope out the area. Dispose of all monsters if they approach before examining anything. Do you have your flashlight?"

Link waved it at her. "I still don't see why we didn't use torches. They're retro."

"And also inefficient. This is the Master Sword we're looking for, we can't just go blundering around in the dark if out torches go out."

Link shrugged. It was annoying when Zelda was right about things.

The last rays of light shone into his eyes and he looked over at her, grabbing his rope. "Ready?"  
"Ready?"

As soon as the glow faded from the sky Link kicked through the brittle glass and it shattered, sprinkling down like very deadly rain to the floor of the museum. Tugging on his rope to make sure it was secure, he fell backwards through the hole and slid down to the floor, jumping off at the last second. His boots left dusty footprints in the thick carpet and he lit his flashlight, letting the beam dance across the room. Zelda followed him, sliding slowly down and taking out her flashlight, too. The light revealed a standard-looking lobby, with six columns leading to a large, engraved door and four display cases on the sides of the room, empty except for small placards so faded with age they were unreadable. Everything looked barren and empty.

"Now what?"Link asked, creeping around the room. His footsteps echoed in the silence of the enormous lobby.

"Now we look around. You take the left side and I'll take the right."

Upon closer examination Link saw that there were three tapestries hanging from the ceiling, also faded and ridden with holes. Tentatively he prodded one with his boot toes and the entire thing collapsed at his feet.

"It wasn't me!" He shouted as Zelda ran over to him.

"No, look!" She pointed behind him and he turned to see a doorway set in the wall where the tapestry had been concealing it. "Lead the way."

Link slammed his shoulder into the door and the hinges splintered away, falling to the ground with a thud. Inside was a small cellar-like room containing... Pots.

"Anticlimactic much?" Link asked, hefting one of the pots. He peered inside of it, then smashed it onto the ground. The pottery shards fell away to reveal a single green rupee. "But lucrative."

Seven smashed pots later Link was three rupees richer. He was about to walk out and see if the other tapestries had hidden doors, but Zelda grabbed his arm and stopped him.

"Wait. See that switch there?"

Link knelt and peered down at a small star-shaped button poking up from the tile floor. He stepped on it and there was a faint rumbling sound, then silence.

"What did that do?"

Zelda shook her head. "I don't know, but I think we're about to find out."

As it turned out the tapestries yielded nothing else besides more empty walls and one more cellar room with more pots and devoid of any secret switches. The fruit of their labors was discovered, though, when Zelda pointed out two staircases, one for each side of the lobby, that certainly hadn't been there before.

"See? It's a puzzle."

"Sure, but why? Why don't they just give us big glowing signs – SWORD HERE, INQUIRE WITHIN?"

Zelda frowned, shining her flashlight up the steps. "It might be set by Ganon, to keep raiders out. Or maybe by people who wanted to protect the sword in the first place."  
"Guess they didn't do a good enough job. Let's keep moving."

They took the left staircase that emptied into a larger room, which was bare except for five perfectly square blocks taller that Link could see over, obstructing their way.

"Now what?" Zelda frowned slightly as she shone her flashlight along the edge of the stone blocks.

"Your guess is as good as mine. Push 'em?"

The first two blocks refused to budge, but Link shoved the third forward a few feet before it stuck. He stepped back and studied the blocks again, frowning.

"It's a puzzle. This is a puzzle too, a block puzzle!"

"Genius. Give this man a Triforce of Wisdom." Zelda said, but she was smiling as she did so.

Link jogged to the fifth block and shoved it forward, too, then pushed the fourth block sideways to where the fifth block was before, clearing a path onward.

"Not too shabby, huh?" He asked, grinning.

Behind the blocks was a single chest, which he kicked open and pulled out a key, as old and tarnished as anything else in the museum. It looked like genuine silver, however, and he was surprised the raiders hadn't stolen it. Maybe they were incredibly stupid and couldn't figure out the block puzzle.

"Good, let's find the door it unlocks." Zelda said, and hurried out the door.

"You mean to tell me there's a door in this museum that this thing will get open?" Link asked, running after her.

"That's what I said. Why?"

"It just seems kind of dumb, that's all. Why wouldn't you hide it in the gutters or something, that way no one would ever find it?"  
"Thank Hylia Gangstadorf is even stupider than you."  
"Yeah, so – _hey!"_

Halfway across the lobby Link noticed the large engraved doors again and tried to fit the key into the lock, but it wouldn't turn. The doors were jammed shut and wouldn't budge.

"Not all keys are created equal, I guess."

"We'll need a bigger key to get into there."

"There are more keys? I'm a fighter, not a locksmith."  
"You'll have to get used to it, I guess. Hurry, come on!"

The right staircase led into a room that was the same size as the room on the left side, but without any blocks, just the same tiled floor and more tapestries. Link took a step out to rip the tapestries down – that was his first mistake.

The floor tiles came alive, levitating up a few feet and shooting straight for Link and Zelda. Both ducked as the tile shattered above their heads and three more tiles came for them, smashing against the walls.

"Move!" Link shouted and Zelda drew her bow, shooting down the tiles as they swooped down at her. Link chose a more conventional method, albeit not as effective – run. Tile shrapnel filled the air for a few intense minutes, then all was still.

Link turned to Zelda, brushing shards of pottery off of his sleeves. "You good?"

She nodded, tilting her chin up and holding her bow tighter. There was no question about it, she was very talented with the weapon, even while fighting killer home-makeover supplies.

"Over here." She pointed, showing Link a hole in the floor the tiles had been concealing.

"Princesses first!" He gestured to the hole.

"I don't think so!" Zelda laughed, then pushed him through the floor and down into the basement.

He landed with a crash on the ground and rolled over on his back, groaning, only to see Zelda falling down from the first floor and landing gracefully next to him. She held out a hand and helped him up, still laughing.

"You need to keep your guard up! That's the first thing Impa taught me."

"Yeah, and then you go shouting the goddesses' names in the middle of Hyrule Castle Town. Did you have a lesson on subtlety?"  
Link handed Zelda the small key and she put it into the locked door on the other side of the room. The door unlocked with a click but the key clattered to the ground, snapped off from the lock.

"Guess we won't be using that key again." Link muttered, following Zelda through the door.

Inside was the largest room he had seen yet, curving in an oval shape, with a deep indent in the middle like a giant had pressed its thumb into the stone. Zelda looked over the edge of the indent, shining her flashlight around the room.

"What do you think it is?" She asked.

"Looks like a pool to me."

"A pool?"

"Sure. Diving board not included."

Zelda looked skeptical. "I'll bet you ten rupees it's not a pool."

Link smiled; gambling was one of his areas of expertise. "Make it twenty."  
"Deal. Now go see if there's a drain."

Maneuvering his way to the edge, Link slid down the side of the indent and walked to the middle of the pool, where a small capped hole sat sunk into the ground.

"Ha! You're twenty rupees poorer, princess."

Zelda didn't respond and Link looked up at her. "Hey! Not that I expect the money now or anything... Um, you okay?"  
She raised a trembling hand and pointed to something above Link's head. He looked upward slowly and began to back away, heading back to the edge of the pool. Bones were digging their way out of the ceiling, forming skeletons. Spines clicked together and claws attached to toes, and small, spiked bones formed tails of what looked to be mutant skeleton lizards, brought back from the dead.

"Zelda...?" Link kept his tone calm.

"They don't call this place the Wild Tokay Museum for nothing." She whispered.

"Those are Tokay?" Link yelped.

"Used to be. They've been dead for a long time. This is Gangstadorf's doing."

"Well, they don't seem too happy!"

Once fully formed the skeletal Tokay fell from the ceiling and landed in the pool, then turned on Link and let out an enormous roar that shook the floor of the pool. Zelda tried to jump into the pool after him but a fence of orange light had risen along the edge of the pool, keeping her away. Even though he knew it was hopeless, Link raised his fists. What could he do against bone?  
"Link!" Zelda yelled. "They've been reanimated with dark magic. Use light magic to defeat them!"

Link paused and looked back at Zelda. "Great plan, except the fact that _I don't have any light magic!"_

The Tokay were edging closer, waving their sharp claws at him in a distinctly menacing manner. Thankfully they were slow, gaining mere inches each second.

"Here!" Zelda hurled her bow and quiver over the barrier and Link caught them, pulling out an arrow and setting it against the bowstring like he had seen Zelda do. He aimed for the first Tokay and fired. The arrow flew a few feet and wobbled to the ground, ten feet from the Tokay he had been shooting at.

"Din help me." He muttered, then took another arrow out of the quiver. It glowed with enough light to illuminate the whole cavern, and he could see properly how many Tokay were coming for him now – twenty, maybe thirty, and all bloodthirsty. Dropping the bow, he advanced with the arrow and stabbed it through the first Tokay's ribcage.

He had expected nothing to happen, but the Tokay screeched and crumbled to a pile of bones and dust. Link let out a shout and jumped into the swarm of Tokay, stabbing at any bone he saw, and soon the undead numbers were dwindling. There were still a lot of them, though, and bones bombarded his shoulders and arms. One claw slashed so close to his arm the fabric was torn. Soon he was backed against a wall, stabbing at the Tokay left and right. A flying bone rebounded off of the pool wall next to him and he stabbed through its owner's jaw, dissolving the Tokay to a pelvis bone and a pile of sand. In minutes the Tokay were defeated and the magic barrier dissolved. Like when he had pressed the switch back in the cellar room, there was a rumbling on the far side of the room.

Zelda hurried to him, having retrieved her bow and looking furious.

"What were you thinking? You could have been killed!"

"You dropped this." He handed her the arrow and she snatched it out of his hand. "And, you know, you're welcome. For saving your life from skeleton lizards and all."

"Please." Zelda rolled her eyes. "I could have defeated them in half the time. And your shirt sleeve is torn, did you notice?"

Link shook his head as he watched her storm off, wondering if he would be able to get out of this dungeon alive, even with Zelda at his side.

 **Okay, my lovely readers, this is really important, so listen up! (Please? Or should I say, in the spirit of Zelda, "Hey! Listen!")**

 **So I was procrastinating when I was writing and decided to do something different - I'm going to write a short bit on each Zelda game in chronological order. They're not very long and they'll he humor-related. I've already got three written already, but** ** _should I post them?_** **If you have a preference I'd really love for you to write a review and give me the green-light or not, because I probably won't post this without your consent, and I respect your opinion most of all. So, yes or no?**

 **I was talking with my brother yesterday about a later part in the story and was comparing it with National Treasure and this gem came up.** ** _'Link lowered the bottle of spring water over the rupee and pointed out a deformity on the surface. "See?" He asked, holding it out for Zelda and Navi to see. "That's the clock in Clock Town. And look where the hand is pointing." "Nine hours!" Zelda exclaimed. "That's right now!"'_**

 **If you have never seen National Treasure then ignore what I just said, but I thought it was pretty great.**

 **Today's reviews and favorites go to the Keep Navi Out Of This Story Organization! (The previous National Treasure reference maybe piqued my interest in her character... *smiles evilly*)**

 **Every Reader: NOOOOOOOOO!**

 **Okay, I think we're wrapping up. Before you go remember to shoot me a review or a PM or whatever with your opinion on the chronology story thing, or your thoughts on this chapter! I'm serious about this, please tell me what you think!**

 **I haven't said this in a while either, but be sure to add in a favorite story that you've written for me to go check out if you review. And, since the Keep Navi Out Of This Story Organization has just started up, I hope to see** ** _lots_** **of reviews...**

 **(Just kidding. I'm not going to blackmail you.)**

 **That's all for today, dear reader! Until next time!**

 **(P.S. Don't forget to add this to your Story Alert, if you want. Just in case I miss an update or anything like that. Of course, you don't have to. ;) Postscript over.)**


	6. Reanimated Tokay Traxan

**Welcome back, my fellow Friday-lovers! Ready to relax and read some fanfiction?**

 **Me too, so let's get started.**

 **There's not much news right now, but, if you're interested, I took a request and wrote a short story a few days ago. It's called The Last Dance (you can find it on my profile) and if you're interested, go check it out!**

 **For those of you who were wondering about the Zelink-ness of this story... Wait a little while longer, okay? *smiles knowingly***

 **I believe that's all for now. Read on!**

The rumbling had been another staircase being revealed, and Zelda climbed up first, with Link at her footsteps. He was beginning to regret not bringing a weapon, and Zelda's arrows had been pretty handy when fighting the undead Tokay.

"What's up there?" He called to her.

"There's four rooms, and they make a square. Two levers sticking out of the innermost corners of rooms one and three, and a door that goes to nowhere. My guess? We have to rotate them."

Link reached the top of the staircase and looked around. "You're pretty good at this, princess."

Sure enough, there was a door in the second room that opened to a blank wall. Zelda stepped up to the lever in the first room and looked pointedly at him.

"These rooms have got to be made of Styrofoam if we're going to be able to push them. You sure about this?"

She nodded. "Trust me, okay? Just keep pushing."

Link ran to the third room and started to push the lever ahead of him, expecting nothing to happen, until a grinding sound echoed throughout the rooms and the floor began to move below them, turning slowly until it had rotated ninety degrees and Zelda shouted, "Stop!"

They tried the door but it opened to an empty wall again. After another ninety degree turn it revealed a very small tunnel that was almost pitch black. Zelda forged ahead, and Link followed after her, shining his flashlight around the tunnel walls. His foot connected with something and he glanced down, then realized he had kicked a pot.

"Come on, we need to hurry!" Zelda whispered, and Link laughed.  
"There's always time for money, princess." He hefted the pot over his head and smashed it against the wall. As soon as he collected the rupee he heard Zelda cry out and realized he was falling – the pot had been concealing a hole underneath it. This hole was deeper than the one the tiles had been hiding, though, and soon he lost sight of Zelda's flashlight, until he plunged into a small pool of ice-cold water that broke his fall. He dragged himself out of the pool and jumped when a chiming sound came from his pocket, and he pulled out the Pirate's Charm.

"What were you thinking?" Zelda's voice resonated around the dark room, and Link shone his flashlight around, but saw nothing of note but the pool. "Just get out of there soon, okay? We need to hurry! Listen, I think if Gangstadorf didn't know my plan, he does now. He'll have sent Bokoblins after us, at the very least. Get out of there!"

"Easy for you to say." Link grumbled, swinging the flashlight beam around the room. There was a three-foot floor area ringing the pool, but no visible exit. He was about to dive back into the water when it began to bubble and churn like it was boiling. Link backed up to the wall and watched as the shape of a Bokoblin emerged from the water, then leaped onto the ground and spun around, looking for its target.

"Hey! An arrow would be nice right about now!" Link shouted at the top of his lungs, and the Bokoblin wheeled on him and let out a screech that echoed around the room so loudly the floor shook. If Zelda hadn't hear his shout surely she had heard the Bokoblin...

The Bokoblin drew its sword and began to creep closer to Link, avoiding the pool, baring its long fangs. Link glanced up to the hole in the ceiling, hoping a glowing arrow would drop into the pool at any second, but Zelda didn't appear to be in the generous mood because nothing came. Even with its incredibly negligible intelligence the Bokoblin realized it had the upper hand and began to approach faster, swinging its sword through the air so quickly it make a 'swoosh' sound like in the movies. Link continued to back away.

"One way, huh? Can't speak to you through this dumb thing, can I?" He growled at the Pirate's Charm, which, almost on cue, lit up blue.

"You ordered one Light Arrow?" Zelda asked through the Pirate's Charm.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this one."

A splash from the pool alerted him his gift had arrived, and the light from the arrow illuminated the dark room much more than the flashlight had. The Bokoblin was startled by the arrow's sudden arrival, which gave Link an opportunity to dive in and snatch up his weapon. Unfortunately, the monster followed him in.

The enormous splash echoed above Link and he twisted around underwater to see the Bokoblin swimming in an awkward paddle to get towards him. Link lashed out and kicked the monster in the stomach, sending it floating away, and Link shoved his way to the surface, dragging in a breath of air. He had barely surfaced for a second when the Bokoblin's claws dug into his leg and he was tugged underwater. With a painful wrench he freed himself and slashed the arrow across the Bokoblin's arm, then stabbed into its chest. The blow was partially deflected by the Bokoblin's sword, which was too heavy to use underwater, but he swam backwards when the Bokoblin drew a switchblade and flipped it out. His lungs were straining, but Link remained underwater. The Bokoblin seemed unfazed by the lack of oxygen and slashed with its knife, but the movements were sluggish and Link plunged the arrow into the Bokoblin's stomach. The Bokoblin screeched and flailed underwater as Link twisted the arrow out and stabbed in again; in moments the monster had dissolved into vapor and a single monster claw.

Link kicked his way to the surface and pulled himself out of the pool, coughing and gasping, until he regained his breath and composure. The Pirate's Charm came alive again, and Zelda's voice poured out.

"What happened down there? Are you all right? I felt a rumbling, I guess you activated another stairwell. Get up here now! I've had to fight off two Bokoblins already!"

"Wow, two Bokoblins. Imagine." Link said sourly, then pushed himself to his feet and limped up the stairs, which opened into one of the revolving rooms. Zelda was waiting for him in the tunnel, pacing swiftly back and forth.

"You're back!" She shouted, then threw her arms around him until she realized what she had done and took a hasty step back, blushing. Link pointed the arrow at her and grinned, all enmity forgotten.

"I tell you what, princess, these arrows are pretty handy."

Zelda beamed. "Glad you think so. Are you okay?" She pointed to Link's torn pant leg that the Bokoblin had shredded.

"Just a flesh wound. Let's get going – the sooner we get out of this place, the better."

The tunnel opened ten feet above the ground of a massive room as wide and sweeping and the lobby, but completely devoid of any features whatsoever except for some rotting tapestries and a gigantic pile of Tokay bones. Zelda vaulted down into the room and rolled when she hit the ground, coming up on her feet. Link glanced down warily.

"I'm not going to catch you, you know." Zelda called up to him, and Link jumped down after her, managing a clumsy roll on the ground that made Zelda double over laughing.

"I know what you're going to say – I have a talent for ninja rolls."

The moment of levity was shattered when a groan echoed from the other end of the room and the mass of bones began to creak. Zelda drew her bow and Link pointed his single arrow heroically at the threat. The bones began to stitch themselves together like the undead Tokay had, only much, much larger, with claws the size of Link himself and long arms ready to strike. The spine came next, connecting with a sharp _click_ to the next vertebra, and ribs forming a ribcage the size of Link's old apartment. The Tokay's legs were next, powerful and strong, then the sweeping tail that curled around the body, snapping like a whip. The head rolled up over the shoulders, a massive skull with gaping, empty eye sockets and a fixed, rigid grin. Link's boots were stuck to the ground; he was frozen as the Tokay formed itself, and the monster let out a chattering cry that shook the museum's foundation. Finally a thin snakelike creature slid up the Tokay's spine, purple and pulsating with a single eye that peered at them from the bottom of the massive skeleton's neck.

"That must the Gangstadorf's parasite! It reanimated the Tokay for his purposes. This is the sword's guardian!" Zelda informed Link.

"Thanks for that, princess. You should be a docent here."

The Tokay lumbered around to face them, leaning forward and letting forth another bellowing cry. Zelda loosed an arrow but it pinged off of the skeletal shoulder blade.

"We'll need to kill the parasite, then the skeleton should go back to being bones!" Zelda shouted over the clamor, and Link nodded.

"Sure, but how do we even get up there?"

She rolled her eyes. " _Heroes._ Do I have to give you everything on a silver platter? Climb up the spine."

"What?" Link yelped, then Zelda shoved him to the ground as the Tokay's tail swung over their heads. The bone smashed into the wall with enough force that it shattered the stone and ripped down a tapestry.

 _I should have never gotten into this mess,_ Link thought, then took off for the tail. Zelda shot her arrows at the breaks in the vertebrae, piercing the long parasite and causing the Tokay to wail in pain. It began to shuffle towards her, towering so high its skull crashed against the ceiling when it stood upright. The Tokay swung its clawed hand at Zelda but missed by a good few feet, gouging the wall.

Link scampered up the Tokay's tail with little trouble since Zelda was keeping it occupied and began to pull himself up the spine, avoiding the oozing parasite that had wrapped its way around the vertebrae. The rolling eyeball was fixed on Zelda, so Link continued to pick his way upwards, finding handholds in the edges of the bones. The parasite slithered around his leg and hooked his ankle, but Link shook it off and kept climbing.

The Tokay wasn't easy to ride, either; it kept bucking when Zelda would shoot the parasite or would spin around suddenly for no reason at all. Link had another moment to appreciate Zelda's marksmanship when she shot an arrow at the parasite that was so close to his leg he could feel the wind brush past and tease the fabric of his pants. His arms and legs were sore from clinging onto the bony spine for dear life, and sweat beaded on his forehead.

Below Zelda was performing an equally precarious task, keeping the parasite's eye on her as she sent arrow after arrow into its snaking body. She seemed to anticipate every swipe and dodge every blow that came at her, and when Link took a moment to observe her progress her eyes glowed with a blue fire he hadn't seen in her before.

"Not bad, princess. Gangstadorf had better know what's coming his way."

Once he reached the top of the Tokay's spine Link drove the arrow into the eye of the parasite, and it glowed with a feverish red light as he stabbed in again and again, then was torn from his perch and fell down from the Tokay's body and onto the ground with a crash.

"You okay?" Zelda shouted, and the Tokay roared and swung its tail at her.

"Yeah!" Link bellowed back, then retreated a second as the Tokay faced him and snarled. Charging at the Tokay, Link dodged a swipe from a clawed hand and rolled under the Tokay's ribcage; it rumbled angrily and dropped on its stomach, trying to crush him under its sheer weight. Link straddled a rib bone and shimmied his way up to the spine, gripping the bone tightly when the Tokay slammed in to the ground, and swung up on top of the spine again.

He was about three-quarters of the way up the spine when Zelda screamed and he searched for her on the ground frantically. She was pinned by the Tokay's hand and it was raising her up to crush against the wall. Without thinking Link stood upright on the Tokay's spine and sprinted up the distance to the parasite's eyeball, watching his footing carefully, then stabbed the arrow into the eye for the second time. The Tokay shivered and screeched, dropping Zelda to the ground, where she loosed a dozen arrows into the parasite's body, which was beginning to resemble a porcupine with all of the arrows stuck into it. Link tugged his arm back and shoved the arrow into the eyeball with as much force as he could muster and the parasite writhed, causing the Tokay to stumble to the side and crash into the wall. Link was shaken off and ran to Zelda's side, where she waved him off.

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" She insisted, blowing a stray hair out of her eyes. "One more good attack should do it."

Link jumped over the Tokay's tail as it whipped under his feet. The parasite had turned from an ugly deep purple to glowing red, and the eyeball rolled around fervently on top of the Tokay's spine. The magic that bound the bones seemed to be weakening, too – sometimes bones would pop out of their places and be snapped back in randomly. The Tokay's head twisted, searching blindly for its target, and it struck madly at anything that made a sound, ripping down the remaining tapestries and showering Link with shrapnel and torn fabric. With the monster's spasmodic actions it would be difficult to climb back up again He glanced over at Zelda, who was dodging large chunks of rock that fell from the ceiling, trying to get a good aim at the parasite. Whenever the Tokay roared particularly loudly Link knew she had hit the mark.

When the random attacks lulled Link burst forward and crawled up the monster's tail quickly, then hung onto the backbone of the Tokay as it twisted and bounced like a ride-the-Bullbo he had tried once and gotten thrown off of in about two seconds when he was younger. Thankfully the Tokay would pause between attacks and he could get a better grip, bracing himself for the next spin attack or claw swipe. Gradually he wiggled his way up the vertebrae, shoving his feet into the scars across the backbone and dragging himself forward, little by little. After one particularly ferocious strike he was almost thrown from the Tokay's back, dangling by one arm from the edge of the backbone, until he found a foothold on the Tokay's leg and pulled himself back up.

Zelda wasn't exactly helping with his progress, since the parasite was now so speckled with arrows its looked like it had a coat of feathers and wood stalks. Every time another arrow found the parasite's skin the Tokay gave a violent shake. By the time Link reached the parasite's eyeball his arms felt like molten lead and his calves were trembling almost as much as the Tokay was. With a sense of finality he jammed the arrow into the parasite's pupil, which bounced around and rolled in agony as Link stabbed and stabbed again. After the last stab the eyeball sank down, defeated, and the Tokay skeleton stumbled and trembled. Link sensed danger and jumped down from the backbone, standing next to Zelda as the giant Tokay wobbled around for a few second before it dissolved into bones again, inanimate, as the parasite turned brown and burst into a purple mist. The light arrows rolled around on the floor as the parasite disappeared and Zelda collected them, placing them in her pouch.

"So, where's the sword?" Link asked, glancing around the room.

"There." Zelda stared wide-eyed at the pile of bones, which had faded and vaporized to reveal a small pedestal, where a sword was sheathed in the stone. It was surprisingly small, with a teal-colored handle and a jewel the size of Link's thumb set in the blade. As swords go, it wasn't anything like Link would have expected – dusty and coated with Skulltula webs, smeared with mud and flecked with bits of grass. Link glanced over at Zelda, unsure of exactly what he was seeing.

"Um, you sure this is the right sword?"

Zelda took a few steps closer, peering at the hilt. "It's the Goddess Sword. Years of being stuck in here must have caused it to degenerate back into its original form."

Link crossed his arms. "I thought we were getting the full-fledged Master Sword here. Is this a scam?"

Shaking her head, Zelda gestured for Link to take the sword. He stepped up to the pedestal and took the hilt in his hands, then turned to Zelda again.

"If you want to take a pictograph, now's the time."

She didn't answer, so he tugged the sword out of the stone and lifted it above his head, watching it catch the light of Zelda's flashlight beam. Not as majestic as wayward beams of sunlight, but good enough.

Link lowered the sword and rubbed his sleeve across the blade, brushing off the dust from years of decay in the museum. A few runes were carved across the surface, but they were smeared and illegible.

"Can you make anything of this?" He pointed at the runes.

"You're supposed to be swinging the sword around, not reading it."

Link smirked. "Guess the Hero will have more sense, yeah? Let's get out of here."

The ornately carved doors that led to the lobby opened for them this time, and they crept out of the museum, as well as you can creep around while toting a conspicuous-looking sword. Only minor Keese attacks presented themselves in the alley, and Link got a chance to try out the Hero's weapon, when he almost chopped Zelda's head off and got the sword stuck in the wall of an apartment. By the time they reached the inn both were exasperated and tired. Room service was very welcome as they collapsed onto their beds, setting the Goddess Sword on the desk and turning the TV on to check the news.

"Keeps us updated on Gangstadorf's movements." Zelda informed him as she flipped channels.

The first was a local news channel from Crackariko Village, who was informing the citizens about earthquake-like tremors near the old Wild Tokay Museum. The Hyrule Public Access Channel was broadcasting an address from the Mayor.

"Now, people have been telling me, Gangstadorf, what are you doing about the criminal outbreaks? That museum in Crackariko Village just got robbed! What are you doing about this? Technically, I'm the Mayor of Hyrule Castle Town, but I think we'd all say my influence stretches a little further, don't you agree? Anyways, I'm proud to declare entirely new Bokoblin strike force prepared for counterattacks to any other criminal strike. Sleep well knowing these delightful, um, creatures, are protecting you!"

Zelda groaned and snapped the TV off. "Well, now Gangstadorf knows we've got the sword."

"All we need to do is bait the Hero." Link paused for a second, thinking. "Hey, princess?"

"Yeah?"

"When I was about to jump into the giant Tokay room, you said 'heroes,' referring to me. Aren't we _searching_ for the Hero?"

Zelda turned away, biting her lip. "We're searching for him, yeah."

"But you called _me_ a hero. Are you not telling me something?"

Suddenly she turned to him, face blazing. "You're one of the only Hylians who fights in the ring, and you're good at it. You can take down _Gorons_ , which is no easy feat. Have you seen your police file? It's about a foot thick with insubordination notices. You're a fighter. So when I was searching for the Hero in Hyrule Castle Town, who else did you think I would go to? Frankly, I'm surprised you didn't realize it yourself by now."

Link froze, like time had suddenly stood still. The sword on the desk suddenly seemed much more noticeable now. _The Hero, the legendary mega-warrior who saved Hyrule from utter demise. Me? I'm just a regular city guy, I'm no Hero. Certainly no Hero from eons of Hyrule's history._

"Wait, wait. You mean to tell me that _I'm_ the Hero?"

Zelda nodded solemnly. "Bearer of the Triforce of Courage, savior of the realm."

Link sat unmoving for a moment, then glanced at the sword."So... Now what?"

"I was going to take the Hero through the trials of spirit, and I guess we'll have to find a way to fix the sword."

"Great. I'm probably the only Hero that has to fix up their sword. The others just got theirs with a ribbon and a receipt in case they wanted to return it. Trials of spirit? What are those? And do I get a special treatment now? The populous will lavish me with their gifts and stuff, right?"

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Afraid not – Gangstadorf just has another reason to kill you now."

Sighing, Link closed his eyes. "A guy can dream."

 **Today's reviews, favorites and follows go to the Goddess Sword Restoration Society, where Heroes can get their weapons restored by a team of top swordsmiths! I'm sure Link would appreciate that...**

 **In all seriousness, though, I'd really appreciate if you'd shoot me a review and tell me what you think of the story so far! (And I guess I'm taking requests now? So if you want a one-shot done, I gotcha!) It would mean a lot to me, and the Goddess Sword Restoration Society could use the funds. Thanks a million!**

 **One more recommendation that you add this to Story Alert, just in case I miss a day. But that's just me :)**

 **I think that's all we have in store for you lovely readers today. Thank you so much for the reads!**

 **Until next time, dear reader!**


	7. Stalemate

**Happy Friday, dear reader! Who else is glad it's the weekend? *furiously raises hand***

 **And you know what Friday means - another update! Anyone ready for the next chapter? *readers furiously raise hands***

 **I like your enthusiasm!**

 **As news goes, there's not much. I'll mention some other stuff in the post-story note, so don't forget to check that out before you leave.**

 **Read on!**

"So, where to next?" Link and Zelda were perched over a map of Hyrule, scrutinizing the features.

"The first sacred flame in in the ancient Temple of Spirit, right here." Zelda pointed her finger into a brown expanse between Gerudo Valley and Hyrule Field.

"You really did do your research. How did you figure this out?"

Zelda shrugged, marking the location with an 'x.' "Impa helped me conduct some research while I was back in the Castle Skyscraper."

"You miss her, don't you?"

Zelda took a sharp breath and Link raised his hands. "Okay, I'm sorry. That came out wrong. I just meant –"

"No, it's fine. Yes, I do miss her, and I know Gangstadorf is probably doing terrible things to her now. She sacrificed everything she had to help me..."

Link bowed his head, guilt writhing in his stomach. "I'm sorry, I didn't know."

In one swift motion Zelda shook her head, eyes shining. "Like I said, it's fine. But we need to get this done. The sooner the better."

"So what is the sacred flame? What does it do, you know, besides burning stuff?"

Zelda looked like she was trying to keep from laughing. "It tempers your sword and upgrades it to become the Master Sword. Each time you find a sacred flame it will enhance the sword's abilities."

"That's great and all, but what's to say I don't take on Gangstadorf with my archaic toothpick of death over here?" Link angled his eyes at the sword, which was still covered in cobwebs and grungy from its stay in the Wild Tokay Museum.

"You wouldn't even get through the front door. The sword upgrades are supposed to help immensely with the quest. You'll see."

"Quest? Now I feel like a proper adventurer."

Pushing her chair away from the desk, Zelda stood and rolled up the map. "Enough chat for now. Let's get Epona and head for Sandsea Desert."

The drive to Sandsea was about as long as the drive from Hyrule Castle Town. It followed a route close to Lon Lon Auto Dealership, which Link made a wide detour around in case Malon would charge out of the store and demand a rematch. Soon the grass of Hyrule Field gave way to shifting sand, and Link stopped Epona before the sand rolled down into tall dunes.

"We'll have to go on foot from here. Epona isn't made to ride on sand, and I don't want to strain the engine any trying."

 _On foot_ meant traipsing for hours up and down the shifting sand dunes, the blistering heat shining down on them ceaselessly before strange stone features began to rise from the dunes, half-covered by sand. The ground dipped down leading to an enormous stone structure rising from the ground, with a carved door near the bottom the only indication of it being a temple.

Upon closer investigation above the door was a carved pediment depicting the Triforce in the middle of two spread wings. The indentation where the door should have been was firmly closed behind a solid wall of rock.

"Now what?"

Zelda frowned, furrowing her brow. "Umm..."

"Don't tell me – the Triforce of Wisdom doesn't know something. Oh, the irony!"

"How do you know about that?"

"You kept dropping these comments about wisdom. Listen, we Heroes aren't all muscle, we know a thing or two!"

"All right, wise guy. How do we get through?"

Link took a step back and tilted his head to the side, taking in the scene. "Easy. Got a stick of dynamite in that magic pouch of yours?"

"You really think I would cart dynamite around?" Zelda asked, shaking her head.

"Fair point." Link said, stepping back from the door. "What do we do now? Kick the door open or something?"

"All yours." Zelda pointed towards the door, and Link took a step back.

"If you insist, princess." With a flying leap he struck at the door with a roundhouse kick. The door didn't budge.

"Yet another flawless plan from the Hero."

"Snarky doesn't exactly suit you, you know?"

Zelda shrugged, but there was laughter in her eyes. "While we wait around here until your pride recovers, let's practice with that sword again."

Link pulled the Goddess Sword from its sheath he had bought that morning. "This old thing?"

"The only old thing around here is you. You fight like an old man."

Throwing the sword to the side, Link lowered into a fighting stance. "You're going to want to take that back, princess."

Zelda winced as the sword thumped against the sand. "That's the sword of evil's bane, and you just... Throw it on the ground."

"New Hero, new rules, princess. I'll give you a freebie. One free punch?"

Her bright blue eyes narrowed and flashed. "Okay, 'Hero.'" She wobbled her fingers in air quotes. "You drive a hard bargain."

Link dove to the side as Zelda lashed out with a kick, then rolled over in the sand as she struck again. Fighting for footing in the rolling sand, he lunged at her and received a sharp kick in the stomach that knocked the wind out of him. Soon she was kneeling on his chest, knees digging into his shoulders.

"Pinned you." She said.

"Bet you can't do it again." Link winked, then rolled upright and swung at her with a hard right hook. Zelda caught his fist in her own and peered down at her nails.

"Really? Is that all you can do?" Her tone was infuriatingly light and Link yanked his fist out of her grip, getting into fighting stance again.

"Okay, princess. You want to play rough? Can do."

They circled each other for a few second, looking for openings, until Zelda launched herself forwards and jabbed at him with a flurry of quick punches. Reeling away from her attacks, Link swung around and kicked at the inside of her knee. She fell to one knee and Link pulled her up by her shirt collar.

"And that's why you don't mess with Heroes, everyone!" He called out to a fake audience.

"Oh, yeah?" Zelda smirked, then cuffed him across the jaw with a punch so hard he saw stars. "Pinned you again."

"I tell you what, princess... You hit harder than Gorons." Link groaned and picked himself up from the hot sand.

"Apology accepted. Now I want to see you try fighting with the sword."

"Already told you, princess, I'm better with my fists."

"Yeah, like that stellar display a second ago. Come on! Aren't you just the tiniest bit curious about what you can do? You're the Hero! Give it a shot."

As much as he hated to admit it, Zelda was right. Even if the sword had been sitting around in a monster-infested museum for a millennium, it was still the weapon of the Heroes past, and he wanted to see how well he could fight with it.

Zelda walked over to a dried-up tree and snapped off a long branch slightly shorter than Link's sword and walked back over to him, holding her stick-weapon aloft. "You might want to pick up your sword. Always draw your sword before engaging, it saves you precious seconds and might end up saving your life."

Link jogged over to where the Goddess Sword lay and held it loosely by his side.

"Balance is key when you're fighting – if you lose your balance it gives your opponent an extra edge against you that could be fatal. Keep the soles of your boots on the ground, they'll give you a solid foundation when you parry. Also, when you move, slide your feet across the ground rather than actually stepping. This will keep you balanced, too. Here, raise your sword, but keep the weight in your toes."

Link did so and Zelda struck ferociously at him. He stumbled back a step and she tapped his leg.

"See? Now try again, but like I told you the first time."

Bracing himself for the hit, Link felt the sword tremble in his arms when Zelda struck again, but most of the blow was absorbed by his sword and stance.

"Not too shabby, princess."

Zelda ignored the compliment and raised her sword again. "You'll be temped to go for the offensive a lot, since you have a very powerful sword, but you need to remember than defense is key. It takes one good strike to do you in, right? You're not immortal."

"Immortality would be a nice trait for a Hero, wouldn't it?"

"You can die happy knowing you'll be reborn in hundreds of years. Except, you know, it won't actually be you."

"Great, that helps."

Zelda swished her stick-sword through the air. "Okay. Always keep the sword a good distance away from you, and try to point it at your targets. It's kind of an intimidation factor but also keeps their strikes at bay. Make sure your elbows are bent and your arms close to your body. When you swing, extend your sword to the opponent. If you stretch your arms out too much there won't be as much power in your swing."

Without any warning, Zelda swung again, but Link was ready, keeping his feet grounded and then striking back when she pulled away, extending his sword and cutting diagonally across the stick she held. The Goddess Sword gouged into the wood and Link could see the force of the blow shudder across the makeshift weapon.

"Nice!" Zelda said, smiling at him, and he shrugged.

"You're a good teacher, that's all."

He ignored the blush that rose in her cheeks as she continued with her lesson.

"Don't stay so far back. You have a long sword and a pretty long reach, so you should keep your opponent at bay from a distance, but not _that_ far back." Link shuffled forward a step and Zelda nodded.

She mimed a jab and Link followed suit. He could see the advantage he had now that he was closer, and when she struck again his strike in retaliation was swift and precise.

"When you're in fight your moods show through your fighting. If you're scared, it will show, and any good opponent will use that to help them. Be confident when you fight. That doesn't mean be reckless, but don't be too nervous to try something."

Link spun the sword around in his hand pointed the end at Zelda. "Are you prepared to duel to the death?"

In response Zelda lunged forward with her stick-sword and locked it into Link's hilt, spinning the blade so that the Goddess Sword was ripped from his grasp.

"When you're fighting, don't taunt. Don't be dumb. You'll just get mowed over if you're going to be waving your weapon around like a baton. Actually, there are a few times when you can be dramatic, but I don't want to give you any excuses."

"All right, all right, I get it. Let's duel now."

"Don't cry when you lose." She smiled cheerfully and Link narrowed his eyes.

"I don't plan to lose."

Zelda readied her sword and Link pointed it at her torso, prepared to strike. Before he could Zelda wove her sword through his defense like a snake and hit him in the ribs, hard. As she was pulling back he caught the sword's makeshift hilt in his own and tried the twisty-disarming thing she had done to him an minute ago, but she tugged away before he could try.

While she examined his stance he struck out, careful to keep his arms close to his body and reaching with his sword, and Zelda raised her stick-sword quickly to block it. The Goddess Sword shuddered with the force of the blow and Link took a hasty step back, careful to slide his feet across the sand. With a cry Zelda swung her sword low, directed at his legs, and he twisted the sword in his grip to block the strike. Anticipating his move she struck again, this time knocking the wood against his right calf. Without thinking he kicked the stick-sword away and Zelda stood back, already planning her next attack.

Remembering Zelda's advice, Link closed the gap between the two of them and darted forward, swinging his sword forward and barely clipping the edge of Zelda's sword. The flat side of the blade struck Zelda's hip and she winced, then twisted to face him, the fire in her eyes igniting. A series of furious swipes barraged him and he backed towards the temple door, staying back on the soles of his feet and steady as Zelda hacked away at his sword. Finally Link slid forward and stabbed at Zelda again. She deflected the blow with the hilt of her sword and the flat of her blade struck against his side twice.

Even though there wasn't much more room to back up, Link withdrew and observed his situation. Zelda was easily a better fighter than he was, so he couldn't use strength or what menial sword skills he had to defeat her. However, he could use her _sword_ against her. After all, it was only a stick she had picked up from a dead tree; it would be dry and brittle, ridiculously easy to break. If he could only get in a few good swipes he might shatter the weapon.

Luckily Zelda didn't seem to know his plan as she raised her sword to block against his own series of thrusts. Her parries were solid and he chipped away at the sword. The wood trembled and splintered slightly under his attacks and he began to swipe with increased ferocity. Before long Zelda's basic tips stopped running through his head, then instinct took over. His swings became less and less wild, everything focusing, just him and the sword and his opponent. Link only glanced up to see Zelda's jaw clenching as she raised her sword, digging her boots into the ground as Link backed her away from the temple.

With one last surge of energy Link pulled his sword back and spun around in a circle, using his sword as momentum and rotating on the tip of his toe. Instead of veering far off-balance like he expected he stomped his foot down on the ground and froze, clutching the Goddess Sword tightly. When he looked up he saw Zelda holding a collection of shattered twigs.

"There you have it! The great Hero Link saves the world again from the insufferable boredom of the Triforce of Wisdom!"

"I think that's sacrilege."

"Now tell me, princess, am I good or what?" Link raised his arms and grinned.

Zelda rolled her eyes. "Nice try, but if I had a real sword you'd be dead by now." Even as she said it he could sense a bit of pride in her tone that he had done so well.

"Sure, whatever you say. Enjoy the little spin thing I did at the end? I think I'm getting the hang of this."

"Don't get too cocky." Zelda said, brushing off her hands and crossing her arms.

"I think you're just sour. Next time we'll get you a proper weapon, okay? But only when I'm sure I'll win. Hey, this would be a good post-victory photoshoot. You have a pictograph box? Maybe get a good action shot?"

Link spun the sword around again, attempting to recreate the attack and failing miserably, stumbling back into the temple and battering the temple door with his sword blade. With a rumbling sound the door slid open from the top, revealing a descending staircase that led to blackness.

"Well..." Zelda began, peering down the stairs.

"That was it? Hit the door with your sword? I broke my toe for nothing?"

"Come on, Hero. Ready for a little dungeon crawling?"

 **Reviews/Favorites/Follows for this chapter go to the Nohanson Academy for Fencing, led by our very own princess! Think Link could benefit from some lessons? He might be getting the hang of it...**

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 **I don't know if I've said this in a while, but the offer still stands - if you review (which you absolutely should) be sure to add in a favorite story you've written for me to read! It's the least I can do when you're being so kind as to read my own story.**

 **Another side-comment, The Timeline Chronology has really taken off! I'm about to post the Ocarina of Time chapter, so you can see we've made some headway... If you haven't gone to check it out yet you absolutely should, because apparently people like it? (I know, right?) But I think it's pretty cool, so definitely go look! You can find it on my profile.**

 **I think that might be it... Excited for the Spirit Temple? As you can probably tell, we're not following the chronological order of Ocarina of Time, since you get to the Spirit Temple much later in the game... But I digress. Any areas you're particularly excited about possibly seeing? Add those in your review too!**

 **I think we might be drawing to a close... Until next time, dear reader!**

 **(Unless, of course, you're going to go check out The Timeline Chronology, in which case, see you very soon!)**


	8. Worth Fighting For

**Happy Friday, everyone! And oh, what a week it has been! (A very loooong one)**

 **Welcome back, and are you ready to get into the Temple of Spirit?**

 **Me too, so let's gets started.**

The temple interior was dark and dusky, and Zelda pulled out her golden bow to illuminate the area. The entryway walls curved in a semicircle to face a long room with two branching wings spreading to the left and right, and a large statue of a beautiful woman crouched at the end. Link walked over to the left wing, keeping his sword drawn, only to see the door blocked by thick bars.

"Locked." He announced as he hurried back.

"Does it need a key?"

"No. Bars. Is the other side the same?"

Zelda nodded her affirmation and started to walk towards the statue. As they approached Link could see the image of the woman in more definition; her features were still beautiful, but the flaws of age were now more evident. Her hands were outstretched at her sides, but many of her fingers were broken off. Thin cracks crisscrossed the statue, and bits of stone had chipped off of the statue, giving it a rugged feel.

"Who is she?" Link asked, partially out of curiosity, partially to see if she was still alive and single.

"The Golden Goddess Farore." Zelda answered, kneeling at the statue's base. Hastily Link did the same.

"Gangstadorf hasn't bulldozed this place already?"

" _Ganondorf_ probably doesn't know about it."

"What's that on her hands?" Link rose and pointed to the palms of the goddess. Zelda peered through the darkness, too.

"Looks like rings. The kind in archery targets and such."

Link stepped aside. "You're the marksman. Have at it." Letting out a breath, Zelda pulled out an arrow and aligned it along the bowstring with expert ease. There was a faint _swish_ as it was released, and the shot was true, thudding into the hand of the goddess.

"No way. That has to be solid stone. How did you do that?"

Zelda shot another arrow at the long folds of the statue's dress, and the arrow clattered to the ground after contact. "Magic, I guess. And nothing happened, so arrows aren't the key. What uses targets besides a bow?" She began to pace, which made Link laugh.

"Calm down, princess. We'll figure it out."

After an hour of trying, however, it was evident that they were _not_ going to figure it out. Link had tried a few sword maneuvers while Zelda muttered under her breath for the first half-hour of waiting and now was sitting at the base of the statue watching Zelda try to puzzle things out. Finally she gave in and kicked the statue pedestal swiftly.

"Oh, for Farore's sake!" She said, and her frustration was almost tangible.

"Don't listen to her, she's just upset." Link said to the statue, which gave no indication it had heard him or Zelda.

"This is ridiculous. We must need some item to continue, but what?"

Link shrugged and stood, walking to the temple entrance. "I don't know, princess. Give it a rest, okay? Maybe getting outside will clear your head." The desert heat washed over them as they walked out the door and began to wander around the mountainous structure that hid the temple. It had only been five minutes before Link noticed something.

"Hey, over here!" He called back to Zelda as he ran to a small indentation in the ground beside the rock. It looked like someone had tried to dig their way into the temple – and succeeded.

"What is is?"

"Maybe raiders tried to force their way in. Nice and simple. I like it." Link started to slide down into the tunnel when Zelda grabbed his arm and hauled him back up.

"Wait up a second. How do we know it isn't a trap?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Okay, princess, you win. Let's just go back to the temple and waste away the rest of our lives in front of that statue. Lead the way." Zelda's glare was more fiery than the blaze of the sun, but she didn't protest again as Link jumped down into the tunnel and under the wall of the temple. For its age the tunnel had held up remarkably well, and he climbed out into the temple unscathed. Zelda followed soon after, brushing off her hands as she looked around.

"This isn't the room we were in."

"Lucky for us, right? Check it out." Link pointed down the length of the room they had entered. "There's something down there."

"First we need to check out our surroundings." Zelda insisted, glancing around the room. "Okay, it's shaped like an L, flipped around and mirrored. Bare of decoration. What do you see down there?"

Link started to walk towards the end of the room, when he stepped on a tile that gave under his weight. A pressure plate.

"Don't come any closer." He hissed, and Zelda froze.

"Why, what is it?" She whispered back.

Careful to stay completely still, Link looked down at his foot. Sure enough, the tile had lowered ever so slightly, a sure sign of a trap. _So much for checking out the surroundings._

"Get to the end of the hall."

"What? Why?" Zelda insisted, drawing her bow. Or Link assumed so, since the room became brighter. "Why aren't you moving?"

He didn't have to respond, because once she understood she began to speak again. "Okay. You'll need to throw yourself as far away from the tile as possible. Cover your head with your hands and make yourself a smaller target. Jump _far,_ okay?"

"Never would have guessed." Link muttered, but once her footsteps retreated he wound himself up to jump. When Zelda was a safe distance away he swung his arms back and pushed off with both feet, leaping through the air, then rolling away as an explosion shattered the silence of the temple. Thankfully, Link was thrown clear and remained unharmed. He picked the sword up from the floor and glanced around the room, looking for Zelda.

"Hey, princess!" He shouted, but there was no response. "Um... Zelda? You still here?"

"Link..." Came the whisper, and he saw Zelda standing twenty feet away from him, looking pointedly at the ceiling above him. Link followed her gaze and saw thousands of jewel-bright eyes peering down at him, very dangerous and now, thanks to the bomb, very _awake._

"Keese. Why'd it have to be Keese?" Link groaned as the bat-like creatures took off from their perch in one collective motion and enveloped them in a cloud of sharp talons and beating wings.

Link waved the Goddess Sword about blindly for a moment before remembering Zelda's training. Taking a deep breath, he shifted into position and began making measured strikes against the swarm of Keese. Claws tore at his clothes and tugged his hair, but he batted the monsters away with his blade and pressed on. Soon the swarm had thinned, and he could see Zelda pegging down Keese as fast as she could draw and fire with her bow. She seemed coolly confident, never flinching as the onslaught of Keese pressed nearer. With their combined efforts, the entire swarm of Keese was slain, leaving behind a half dozen monster claws and twice as many rupees.

Zelda turned to him, eyes shining with defiance. "You okay?" She called, and he nodded, letting the tip of the Goddess Sword graze the ground. It seemed to gain ten pounds in a matter of seconds.

"You see any more traps?" Link asked, observing the tiled floor with renewed interest, and Zelda promptly kicked him in the shin.

"Ow! Sweet mother of Byrne! What was that for?" Link demanded, hobbling away from Zelda. Her eyes flashed brighter and she placed her hands on her hips.

"Never do that again!" She ordered.

"Do _what?"_

"Almost die!" Zelda clarified, pointing an accusatory finger at the tile that had triggered the bomb.

"Believe it or not, princess, I'm trying to avoid doing that, too."

Her angry expression crumpled and the trace of a smile showed on her lips. "I believe you. Now, come on! Let's see what's down there."

Link thought his luck was too good to be true when nothing attacked them as they continued down the length of the room. The faint glimmer he had seen when he first entered this part of the temple had expanded to the steady glow of a torch perched over a stout pedestal. A lone chest sat on top of the pedestal. Link's first thought was that it was a sorry excuse for a chest – the wood was rotting away and the metal bolts holding it together were completely rusted. Hopefully its contents were still intact.

"Another trap?" He asked, but Zelda shook her head.

"I think this may be the tool we need. Go ahead."

Link stepped up on top of the pedestal and turned back to Zelda. "Another good photo op. You know, if you're going to be scrapbooking this."

"Why do I even try..." Zelda shook her head.

"Okay, okay. Don't get your pantaloons in a twist." The chest barely reached his knees, so he crouched and attempted to unlatch the lock, which broke off in his hand. Now properly unlocked, the chest creaked open when Link tipped back the lid and reached inside. Out came two strange-looking gloves. They had chains wrapped around the wrists and where the fingers would be protruded three sharp metal talons. He slipped one on and looked down at Zelda.

"Now what?"

She smiled mischievously and pointed up at the ceiling. "That's the Hookshot, I've read about them before. Aim for one of those chandeliers."

Sure enough, three chandeliers hung from the ceiling, hidden in the shadows. Link hadn't noticed them at all. Aiming the glove at the chandelier, he stood for a moment before the chain unwound and the claws shot out, gripping the chandelier and dragging him along. Shouting in alarm, Link rocketed to the ceiling before hanging from the teetering chandelier. Zelda stood below him, waving.

"Not funny, princess..." Link muttered. "How do I get down?"

"Release the Hookshot!" Zelda yelled back at him.

"Are you _crazy?_ No way!" The ground suddenly seemed much further away from his dangling boots than it did before.

"Aw, is the Hero scared of heights?" Zelda taunted.

"Triforce of Courage, princess! Scared of nothing!" Link retorted, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on anything but the ground.

"Go ahead, then. Drop!"

Closing his eyes, Link tugged at the Hookshot. The claws released and he was plummeting to the ground, the tiles growing nearer and nearer, until he crashed unceremoniously onto the ground. Zelda stood over him and offered her hand to help him up, which he readily accepted.

"What do you say we go and check out that statue again? I think I know what those targets are for."

After a quick jog to the temple entrance they were inside the foyer again, armed with the Hookshots. Link had strapped one to both arm and aimed the right Hookshot at the goddess' hand, preparing for the kickback when Zelda cleared her throat loudly.

"Can I help you?" Link asked, dropping his arm to his side.

"How am I going to get up, too?"

"Oh." Link held out his left arm. "Take this one, I guess."

"Thanks." Unstrapping the Hookshot, Zelda put it on her own arm. "You go right, I go left?"

"Sure." Link braced himself and sent the Hookshot claws flying. In seconds they had latched onto the magic semi-stone of the goddess' hand and he was dangling from one arm. His eyes shot to the ceiling and he saw two large platforms suspended in midair with similar targets on them. How could he use the Hookshot now, though? It was attached to the goddess' hand.

Twisting himself around the goddess' hand, Link crouched on the stone wrist, praying that it would hold his weight. Thankfully the statue didn't even tremble as me crawled along its arm and on top of the stone fingers. Clutching the goddess' thumb with his left hand, Link raised his right and aimed the Hookshot at the second target. The claws connected with the rippled rings and swung him just below the platform. Another metallic sound echoed throughout the temple and he saw Zelda swinging herself up onto her platform. Link dragged himself up and released the Hookshot from its grip.

"Do you see the other platforms?" Zelda called to him, pointing at something over his shoulder. Link turned to see another platform against the wall of the temple, over the walls and bars that kept them out the first time. Link gave Zelda a thumbs-up, but he doubted she could see with the Hookshot over his hand.

Bracing himself once more, Link fired the Hookshot and watched the barbs spiral and connect with the next target. He risked a glance down to see the wall flash by far beneath his boots. This time instead of climbing up onto the platform he dropped to the floor below, rolling to ease the impact. When he came up again the wall he had just crossed was blocking his view of Zelda. She was now on the other side of the temple.

Link fished the Pirate's Charm out of his pocket and glared at it. "We really need to talk about getting phones, princess."

At the end of the room was a single chest, much smaller than the one the Hookshots were in, which yielded ten rupees. Hopefully Zelda had been more successful.

By the time he had used the Hookshot to get up and over the wall again Zelda was waiting for him, empty-handed.

"Find anything?"

"Flipped a lever. There's a door there by the Farore's statue, see? It's open now." Zelda was true to her word – a door had been opened to the right of the goddess.

"That's the side we haven't been in yet. Ready?"

Link hoisted his Hookshot up for her to see. "As ready as I'll ever be." The room behind the door was exactly the same as the first L-shaped room, only mirrored and free of Keese or bomb tiles. A locked door sat almost directly in front of the first door, with the key nowhere in sight.

"Here's hoping that the key is at the end of the hall." Link tried to cross his fingers with the Hookshot and almost shot Zelda in the head with the barbs. "Um, never mind."

At the end of the room was a set of spiral stairs reaching up to a second floor. Link's first impression of the room was that it was much smaller than the first floor, and in worse shape. The floor was peppered with holes, some big enough to fit him, and they dropped all the way down to the first floor.

"Tread lightly."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Link said, keeping his sword drawn just in case any Keese surprised them again.

On the other side of the room was another spiral staircase, just like the first. Link stepped carefully around the larger holes and followed Zelda as she made a snaking path to the next set of stairs.

"That wasn't so bad." Link announced as they started walking up the second flight of stairs.

"I've learned never to say that." Zelda replied, looking back at him over her shoulder and smiling.

The next floor was the same size as the first, but huge walls blocked their view of the rest of the room. Link turned a corner and almost fell through one of the larger holes, only to be caught when Zelda grabbed the back of his shirt.

"Is this going to be a thing with you? Falling down holes in every dungeon we find?" The holes were positioned in strategic places where you wouldn't expect them, so Link had to be careful not to plummet down to the second floor on multiple occasions. Zelda somehow managed to anticipate the obstacles and avoided them easily. Even with the addition of walls, they made it to the third staircase safely.

The fourth floor was almost the same as the third, with the maze-like walls and holes through the floor, but one part of the exterior wall opened up to the sky, now bathed in a wash of crimson and deep purple hues with the sunset. The desert sand reflected the shades of the sky, and the crisp wind ruffled the clouds into salmon-scale patterns.

"Do you get it now?" Zelda asked suddenly, stopping her fevered pace to observe the scene. Link slowed to a stop next to her and gazed out over the dunes.

"Get what?"

"Do you get why we have to save Hyrule? _This_ is what Hyrule used to be. It was beautiful. And now? Hyrule Field is a refugee camp. There used to be rolling hills with grass that would go on and on forever... This is one of the only places Gangstadorf hasn't touched. You'll see more eventually. What's Hyrule Castle Town compared to this?"

Link had to admit she was right. The city, for all of its technological marvels and towers that scraped the sky, had nothing on the sheer beauty of the scene.

"But we're not going to save Hyrule by sitting around watching the sunset. Come on, princess. Let's get that key."

 **And now with our 6:00 news...**

 **Favorites/Follows/Reviews go to the Hylian Mobile Network in hope that they will send Zelda and Link a promotional pair of cell phones. I'm sure Link would appreciate that a lot, and I would appreciate if you tell me what you think so far of the story! Any guesses on what's coming up next? Who do you think will be the next boss? (Tell me anything and everything! And also be charitable and get Link and Zelda phones.)**

 **As other news goes, there's not much. For those of you who are reading this along with TTC (The Timeline Chronology - very cool abbreviations) I'm going to update Majora's Mask today, too. For those of you who aren't reading TTC, get yourself over to my profile and check it out!**

 **Enough about future events, though. What did you think about this chapter? Excited for the Hookshot? Or Hookshots, plural, I guess... All Link needs is the ability to create spiderwebs and we have another superhero on our hands.**

 **In all seriousness, please feel free to tell me what you think of the story so far! Or if you just want Link and Zelda to get cell phones, that's fine too.**

 **I believe that's all I have in store for you today! Unless you're going to go read TTC! In which case, happy Final Day.**

 **Until next time!**


	9. Ancient Shadow-Beast Anubis

**It's FRIIIIIIDAY! And you know what that means, don't you? Update day!**

 **Welcome back, dear reader! Glad to have you again :)**

 **Boss fight this chapter! I know a lot of you liked the previous boss fight, and I hope you like this one as well!**

 **Excited yet? Read on!**

"So what are these again?"

"Peahats."Zelda pointed at the flying enemy with her Hookshot-weilding hand.

"Enemies?"

"Not in this case. See their roots?" Even at a distance, Link could clearly see the snarls of roots underneath the bulbous body of the hovering creature. "We can use the Hookshot to snag those and pull us to those platforms."

"All the way out there? How do you know the Peahats will hold us?"

"Trust me." Zelda tugged the Hookshot off of her arm and held it out to him.

"For me? You shouldn't have."

"Stop messing around! You'll need both to keep a continuous route to the platform over there." The platform was almost too small to be seen, but Link could barely make out the protruding pillar of sandy rock the Peahats were fluttering around. Zelda was right about the path, too – he could see how the Peahats lined up to lead him to his destination.

"Sometimes the Peahats _are_ enemies?" He asked, and Zelda pulled the Hookshot over his hand.

"Oh, sure. Let's hope you don't weigh too much, I've heard they can be very nasty." Her face was deadpan but he could tell she was joking. Hopefully.

"Here goes nothing." Link aimed his right arm at the first Peahat, which hovered a few yards from the open temple wall, and the barbs dug into its roots. The Peahat jostled slightly when Link shot toward it but stayed in the air. Letting out a breath, Link turned his head to see where the next Peahat was.

The Pirate's Charm chimed in his pocket and Zelda's voice echoed from the stone, even though he was still relatively in earshot.

"You're doing fine. Just keep moving to the next Peahat! There's a platform coming up soon." Swiveling around, Link aimed his left hand to the next Peahat, this one further away than the one before it, and fired the Hookshot. Again the roots were impaled by the Hookshot's claws and Link reached the Peahat easily. Wasting no time, he brought his right arm up and shot at the next Peahat. The barbs missed the roots, however, and glanced off of the Peahat's shriveled wooden body. Instead of bobbling around like the other Peahats had, this one wobbled from its perch and began to zoom towards Link, spinning the leaves on top of its head menacingly.

"We might have a problem..." Link muttered, trying to aim the Hookshot again, but every time he steadied his arm the Peahat would swerve out of reach.

"Do you see the other Peahat hovering over that platform?" Zelda asked through the Pirate's Charm.

The next platform wasn't too far away, and Link could see the next Peahat clearly.

"Try to see if you can make it to the next Peahat! Ignore the one coming for you now!"

"Easy for you to say!" Link retorted, pulling his legs up as the wild Peahat spiraled underneath him, trying to knock him from his perch. He raised his arm and focused on the next Peahat. Given its distance it was a much harder target to shoot, but he lined up the barbs to the roots and released the chain.

The Hookshot rocketed through the air and struck the Peahat's roots; Link was yanked from the Peahat he was holding and shot past the wild Peahat safely. Zelda cheered something from the charm but it was lost in the rush of wind. Link dangled from underneath the Peahat for a second before releasing the Hookshot and falling to the first platform.

"I guess Peahats can be enemies after all."

"Nice work!" Zelda shouted from the Pirate's Charm.

"Just doing my job, princess."

"There are a few more Peahats until you get to the next platform – I can't see them too well from here. By the way, the Peahat you shot has calmed down. You're safe."

"Always a nice feeling."

Link swung to the next two Peahats with ease, then examined the third. Instead of leading directly to one platform, like the other Peahats had, this one hovered nearby two platforms. One platform was notably smaller than the other and no Peahat was near it – he would have to jump. The other platform had a Peahat over it, and he could drop down and take the small key.

"What's the holdup? You okay? Shoot your other Hookshot up if you're okay." Zelda's voice was tense with worry and Link hastily shot the Hookshot towards the sky.

"Good. Just checking."

Link waited for the Hookshot chain to retract and fired it at the next Peahat. Once he reached it he examined the choice he had. The jump to the smaller platform wasn't a large one, and the platform had a small chest on it. Was it possible this was the chest with the key? On the other hand, the next Peahat would place him directly over the larger platform, which also had a chest on it. Which to choose?

Releasing more slack from the Hookshot, Link began to swing back and forth, gathering momentum as he aimed for the smaller platform. The Peahat shook with the motion but still remained upright. Steeling himself, Link kicked forward and released the Hookshot, falling forward towards the smaller platform. He was thrown from the Peahat and dropped at an alarming angle, barely managing to catch hold of the chest at the edge of the platform. His boots dangled in empty space, off the edge of the platform.

Panic shot through Link's body, but he focused and tried to find any foothold on the edge of the platform, which was sheer and dusty with the sand. Every time he found an indent it crumpled under his weight. Zelda was shouting something from the Pirate's Charm but he ignored her, pulling himself up with his arms alone. The chest didn't budge as he dragged his legs over the edge of the platform to safety. Gasping, Link shot the Hookshot up to show Zelda he was safe, and the clamor from the Pirate's Charm faded.

"There had better be something in here worth it..." Link grumbled, then kicked the chest open. Much to his surprise, a Peahat emerged, inflating like a balloon and lifting towards the sky, where it hovered three or four yards away from the edge of the platform. Leveling his Hookshot towards the liberated Peahat, Link shot towards it and moved to the larger platform easily. No death-defying jump involved this time. Dropping easily to the ground, Link observed the chest.

It looked exactly like the Peahat chest, so Link took a wary step back before opening it, but inside was a single key, much larger than the silver keys Link was used to seeing in temples. Worn with age and embedded with grains of sand, the key was still magnificent, a shining gold with what looked like a genuine ruby in the middle, cut to look like a staring eye. Link carefully slipped it into his pocket before continuing to the chest-Peahat. Now he saw the purpose for the chest – he could reach the Peahat closest to the temple wall from here. In moments he was back at Zelda's side, offering her the key.

"Sorry, princess, I directly disobeyed orders. Almost died again."

"You'll be glad to know I pardon you." Zelda replied, imitating a stuffy voice of superiority. "Ready to find out where that door leads?" After a few staircase descents Link was waiting at the door as Zelda inserted the key and twisted it in the lock. The ancient tumblers rumbled and the door swung open, but the key gave a sharp snap and the handle broke off, clattering to the floor.

"Will all the keys in temples do this?" Link wondered aloud, nudging the golden key with a boot tip.

"They've been sitting here for ages, like the Goddess Sword. No wonder it reverted back to its old state under conditions like this."

Link stepped inside of the room, which was pitch-black. Zelda followed him in and reached for her bow to light up the room when torches flamed up all around them, glowing with an eerie purple light.

"Purple fire?" Link asked, pointing at the torches.

"Magic. I believe this is when we fight for the sacred flame."

"Magic. _Great."_

A low moaning echoed from the end of the chamber and Zelda walked towards it, holding her golden bow at her side. Link followed, unsheathing the Goddess Sword.

"See anything?"

"It's an Anubis. They're usually enemies, but this one isn't moving..." Link followed her gaze and spotted the monster at the end of the chamber. It was hewn from stone in the shape of some sort of dog, or a dog's head with a body wrapped in bandages. Although Zelda had said it was a monster, it could be considered a work of art – the bandages were meticulously painted in a red fringe, with patterns spiraling around its body and decorating its head. As Link approached he could see the true size of the monster, which was notably small, only reaching up to his chest. The moans were emanating from its body, making the stone figure tremble.

"An Anubis, huh? These guys don't seem too bad." Link tapped the Anubis on its head with the Goddess Sword.

"They shoot fireballs." Zelda informed him, smiling when he leaped away from the statue. "Not so bad, you say?"

She was silenced when the Anubis began to moan again, only louder, and the stone figure trembled and rocked back and forth on its balancing point. Cracks began to splinter the surface of the Anubis and Link and Zelda retreated a few more feet. Curls of black smoke poured through the cracks and shards of stone gathered on the floor, chipped away. Finally the entire Anubis was shattered and the black mist was freed, pulsing like an amoeba where the Anubis had stood only moments ago.

"Magic?" Link asked.

"Magic."

The smoke began to thin, revealing a shadowy, enormous figure cloaked in darkness. When the mist dissipated Link could finally make out the shape of the creature that had hidden inside of the Anubis – the largest dog he had ever seen, with tall, pointed fox's ears nearly scraping the vaulted ceiling of the chamber and a bushy tail, canine teeth protruding over its gums. Its coat was unlike any dog's coat he had ever seen, either. This one was made of _shadows._

The Anubis-dog reared its head back and howled, shaking the temple floor underneath Link's feet. Zelda fired an arrow at the Anubis' head and it lodged in the shadow fur, causing the Anubis to howl louder. Finally it lowered its head and fixed its gaze on Link and Zelda, eyes purple like the torches and just as fiery.

"So, what's the game plan? Climb up the tail and stab the eyes again?"

"You'll have to use the Hookshot. See the torches? Use one Hookshot to latch onto the torch, then rotate and use it again on the Anubis' eyes."

"Its _eyes?"_

"Look at them again, closer. See the purple iris ringing the pupil?" Link met the Anubis' burning glare and saw what Zelda meant.

"They're targets."

"Exactly. Use the Hookshot to get up on top of its head and examine the body for weaknesses." "Weaknesses, you say?"

Even in the semi-darkness Link could see Zelda roll her eyes. "You'll know it when you see it. Now get your Hookshots out! I'll keep it distracted."

"Again?"

"What, you want to keep this thing busy?"

The Anubis barked and snarled, its ears flattening. "On second thought, distract away." Once he had strapped both of the Hookshots on to his arms Zelda had already fired off ten good shots at the Anubis, and Link could bet the roars of pain could be heard all the way in Crackariko Village. He aimed for the nearest torch and let his other arm dangle, looking for the Anubis' purple eyes. The flames from the torches were dangerously close to his arm, so he would have to move soon to avoid getting burned. Zelda was doing her job too well, though, keeping the Anubis' eyes on her.

"Hey! Over here, meatlug!" Link waved his arm, trying to get the Anubis' attention, and in moments the purple eyes were focused on him. Aiming carefully, Link leveled the Hookshot at one of the eyes and fired. The barbs of the Hookshot met their mark and Link was dragged towards the monstrous dog at incredible speed. Once he reached the eye he clambered up the Anubis' snout and searched for any sign of a weak spot.

"Will we ever be able to fight something I don't have to climb on?" Link groaned as the Anubis tried to shake him off, bobbing its head from side to side. Zelda's arrows continually assaulted it, so the Anubis was distracted again. After a few minutes of searching Link slid down the tail of the Anubis and rendezvoused with Zelda in front of the giant dog.

"I have good news and bad news – you pick."

"Bad news!" Zelda shouted back as she fired an arrow at the Anubis' nose.

"The Anubis is a tank. There's no weakness that I can see."

"What?"

"Yeah. Do we have a Plan B?"

Zelda stopped shooting for a moment to observe the scene. "Okay, let's list our tools. We have the Hookshot, which can latch onto the Anubis' eyes and the torches."

"Does the Anubis have an attack pattern?" Link asked, dodging a swiping paw.

"Yeah, actually. It tries to get you with each paw individually, then with both, jumping down. Its head is close enough to get on then, but why would there be Hookshot targets?"

Another paw swatted at Zelda, and she stepped back to avoid the blow. Link could see the pattern then, and was prepared when the Anubis reached forward with both paws and pounced at him, trying to catch him between the two paws. The Hookshot targets in its eyes were clearly visible then, and the Anubis reared back, growling and snarling.

"Wait!" Link shouted, and Zelda froze.

"What?"

"What if those targets aren't Hookshot targets? What if they're for _arrows_?"

Zelda blinked, looking confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Can you hit the eyes from here?"

She raised her bow and shot a few arrows, but they pinged harmlessly around the Anubis' eyes. "Not from here, no."

"Time to switch roles, princess. This time I'm bait."

The Anubis was swiping with its second paw when Link took Zelda's place in front of the creature, taunting it and waving the Goddess Sword around.

"Hey, over here! You put that paw one inch closer to me and you're going to regret it! Yeah, I'm talking to you!" The Anubis didn't react, only narrowed its eyes and prepared for the double-paw attack. When it sprung Link was ready, jumping back out of its reach. Two arrows shot into the Anubis' pupils and its smoky figure flashed a brilliant scarlet. Link took the opportunity to stab at the Anubis' head, which caused it to thrash and snarl, wounded eyes rolling madly in their sockets. Their attack lasted only moments, though, when the Anubis raised itself to its feet again, seemingly unharmed.

"Link! There are chandeliers on the ceiling here, too! That's how we'll beat the Anubis!" Zelda's voice sounded from the echoes in the room and from the Pirate's Charm. He glanced around behind him, but she was gone. It only took a moment to prove her point – a half-dozen chandeliers hung by rickety chains from the ceiling. It would take one good hit to knock them down, stunning the Anubis. But how?

A black paw struck Link's side and he did an awkward flip into the wall, causing a thundering crash to resonate around the chamber. _The paw attack,_ Link thought dully, picking himself up from the ground. The Anubis stood directly over him, its eyes burning and steaming, and Link shot the Hookshot at them, then rotated and aimed for the chandelier. The Anubis roared and searched the room for its prey, bellowing in frustration, when a grinding sound from the ceiling caused it to raise its head just in time to see a massive chandelier crash onto its head. The Anubis screeched in pain and stumbled forward a few feet before collapsing on its stomach, tongue lolling out, and Zelda pegged its eyes from wherever her perch was. Before the Anubis had even gotten to its feet again Link was hanging from one of the torches, prepared to unleash another chandelier attack.

If possible, the Anubis looked more deranged than its had before. Trails of black saliva dripped from its mouth and its eyes bounced around the room, bloodshot and hungry. As soon as it saw Link it growled and arched its back, hackles rising and fur bristling. Link's blood ran cold and he forced himself to breathe.

"It's just a dog. Just a magical ghost-dog from the depths of hell. No pressure." The Anubis lunged for him, jaws snapping, and Link shot the Hookshot at the chandelier, rocketing out of the Anubis' reach. The monster collided against the stone wall with a thundering crash and the chandelier quivered, the chain being dragged out of the ceiling. Link shot down to another torch as the chandelier struck the Anubis' head with enough force to shatter the stone underneath the monster. There was a flash of light and Link saw Zelda flit between the chandeliers and fire off two shots. Both arrows embedded themselves in the Anubis' eyes and the monster let out a piteous moan, as if begging for surrender. Link dropped to the ground and Zelda was next to him in seconds, holding her bow at her side.

"It should be getting up. Usually they take three rounds of damage to kill."

"I think we finished it." Link admitted, pointing at the trembling figure of the collapsed Anubis. Zelda's hand shot to her mouth as the realization hit her.

"Link, please, you have to go finish it off." _Put it out of its misery._

Link tried to take a step forward, but his boots were glued to the ground. "Zelda..."

"I know, I know. Just do it."

Taking out the Goddess Sword, Link approached the Anubis' collapsed frame. Steam rose from the monster's body and it whimpered when Link approached, blinking its now-blinded eyes. Bile rose in Link's throat but he forced it down, climbing up the nose of the beast and standing between its eyes. The Anubis shuddered, no longer the proud and rage-filled beast it used to be. It knew, as did Link, what happened next.

"I'm sorry. You put up an excellent fight. You didn't deserve this." Link spoke softly, and the Anubis let out a low whine before closing its eyes. Preparing for the strike.

Link raised the Goddess Sword above his head and stabbed down, embedding the sword in the Anubis' skull up to the hilt. The breathing of the best slowed to nothing and Link tugged the blade out as the Anubis' body faded to liquid shadows, then dissolved into nothing. There was a faint rumbling at the end of the chamber and a door opened, casting the ground nearby a greenish hue.

Zelda's eyes sparkled with tears when Link returned, but she swiped them away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry. Let's get the sacred flame."

Link glanced back at where the Anubis had lain only moments before, and anger spiked through his veins. _Gangstadorf did this. Gangstadorf created the Anubis for us to kill. Gangstadorf should have been the one under the Goddess Sword, not the Anubis. I'll make him_ pay _for this._

"The sacred flame of Farore." The new room was small and circular, with carved walls covered in runes and symbols, the only other decoration a small pyre in the middle burning with a green flame.

"What do I do?" Link asked, holding the Goddess Sword out. Zelda placed a hand on the blade and guided it towards the fire.

"You'll understand when it happens. Step closer, there." Link was only a few feet from the flickering green flame when it suddenly roared up and filled the air with heat. A tendril of fire shot from the pyre and snaked towards the Goddess Sword, then raced up and down the length of the blade, burning so hot Link thought his eyebrows might be singed off. The hilt of the sword warmed in his hand, and the fire cloaked the blade in a blazing light. It only lasted seconds, then the fire retracted back to the pyre and the light dimmed. Wiping the sweat from his brow, Link turned back to Zelda.

"Did I do it right?"

"What do you think?" She asked, pointing to the Goddess Sword's blade.

Link gaped when he looked down at the sword. The blade was shining like white gold, and it looked much more formidable than before, and also larger.

"Farore's flame extends the length of your blade, so you'll have a longer reach." Zelda explained, and Link touched the blade carefully. It was now perfectly cool, as if it had never been covered in sacred flame.

"I see what you meant by upgrade, princess. This is amazing!" Zelda almost smiled, but her cheerful expression faded when she looked back to where the Anubis had stood.

"Come on. Let's get out of this temple."

 **Never thought you'd be sorry for a boss, right?**

 **Nerdy as I am I imagined this Anubis as Mightyena (one of my team members on my first Pokemon game, Emerald. The best against the psychic twins!) Kid me named it Poochi, if you were wondering.**

 **Favorites, follows and reviews go to Farore's Sword Lengthening and Pyrotechnics Academy! This elite school teaches you the art of crafting the Goddess Longsword and other Hylian swordcraft. Applications accepted in May, tuition is fifty rupees.**

 **Jokes aside, it would mean a lot to me if you reviewed! I've read plenty of fanfiction in my day and know how easy it is to ignore these little messages and just click 'next chapter,' but it really motivates me on the other side of the screen and makes my day. If I can make your day by updating will you make my day and review? It would mean the world to me, thank you so much!**

 **Be sure to add in a favorite story that you've written for me to check out if you do end up reviewing, which you absolutely should!**

 **As news goes - so apparently suddenly (them adverbs) TTC is getting way more views than this story! I'm totally cool with that but it kind of shocked me, seeing as it was just a random spinoff thing I did procrastinating writing Remnants. And people do like it (I know, right? Wow) so I think you should go give it a look if you like this story. Lotsa humor and lotsa classic Zelda (so far.)**

 **What did you think of this chapter? Can't wait to hear from you!**

 **Until next time!**


	10. Mirage

**Hello, dear reader, and welcome back to Remnants!**

 **Sorry for the late(er) update, usually I'm more punctual, but at least it's not a Saturday update. I don't think I've been late a single day posting Remnants, and let's keep it that way! :)**

 **Ready to rejoin our unlikely Hero and heroine? Let's do this. Read on!**

Link wasn't sure which he preferred – the relentless heat of the sun or a raging sandstorm. Neither was preferable.

"When did this pick up?" Zelda shouted over the wind, taking shelter in the doorway of the temple. The sand whipped past at vicious speeds, and Link shielded his eyes to look around. The endless rolling dunes of the desert were veiled in a haze of sand, billowing clouds of dust rolling across the desert expanse in undulating waves.

"When we were fighting the Anubis, I guess. How are we going to find Epona in this?"

"Worse, how are we going to find our way back home? Do you remember which way we came?"

Link pointed at the magic pouch. "Still have your map?"

"Sure, but how can we distinguish notable landmarks in this storm?" Zelda's eyes flashed with worry.

"How long are sandstorms supposed to last?"

Zelda frowned, glancing at the sand whipping past the sheltered doorway. "Anywhere from two hours to days. And this one doesn't look like it's stopping anytime soon."

"Should we wait it out?"

"I don't think we have enough rations if it's going to be a long one. Let's just walk back the way we came."

As much as Link wanted to get back to Epona, the sandstorm was equally determined to keep him from his ticket out of the desert. Soon they was hopelessly lost, and having circled the same rock for the umpteenth time, decided to call it quits and try to figure out where they were.

"How about here? Did you see any large palm trees around?"

"The only thing I've seen for hours is _sand."_ Zelda groaned, shoving the map back into her pouch. "Let's just wait here."

"Well, Miss Sandstorms-Can-Last-For-Days, how do you propose we find food and water?" Link retaliated, slightly irritable from hunger and exhaustion. _Of all things, a sandstorm. Just perfect._

Zelda pulled her shirt collar over her nose and mouth, and Link wondered if she did so just to avoid his question. In response she pulled the map back out again and outlined a large desert area with her finger. "We're here, in the Haunted Wasteland." Her voice was slightly muffled from behind the fabric.

"Haunted Wasteland? Oh, great, perfect. You know, a bit of sun, a bit of relaxation, and lots of wonderful haunted things. Don't forget about that wasteland part! Ideal vacation spot for hopelessly lost anti-Gangstadorf radicals." Link huffed, crossing his arms.

"We're trying to find our way out of here, not imitate travel brochures."

"Fine, fine. Continue."

Zelda pointed to a marked location on the map. "This is the Spirit Temple, where we just were."

"Yeah, can't wait to get as far away as possible from that place." Link huddled closer to the rock to avoid the fierce winds.

"And I can assume we're somewhere around... Here." She circled a smaller area a good distance away from the temple to the north, near another marked location.

"Where's that?" Link pointed to the small mark on the map, which was outlined in tiny, cramped runes.

"The Gerudo Fortress. It's been in disrepair for a long time, but some of the more old-fashioned Gerudo still live there."

"Gerudo Fortress, huh? Can't imagine what's going on in there." Link recalled the Gerudo in Castle Town and their less-than-savory occupations.

Zelda slapped his arm, hard. "The Gerudo weren't what they are now, in Castle Town. Trust me, their purpose has been thoroughly degraded."

Link stepped away from the rock, peering through the waves of stinging sand. The view was the same as usual, amber waves and slicing sand. "It seems like our best option right now. What do you say we head over there?"

"We might have a problem..." Zelda pulled down her collar to reveal a small smile. "The Gerudo people aren't exactly kind to males."

"What, a charming guy like me? We should be fine."

"If you say so..." Zelda was still smiling when she pulled her collar back up to continue the journey through the desert sandstorm.

Traveling through the desert was rugged work, and Link was sore and coated in sand after only a few minutes in the raging wind. Zelda's collar trick was useful to keep the grains of sand out of his nose and mouth, but the sand somehow managed to effectively penetrate his clothing and cover his body, too. His pant legs chafed at the knees and after a few miles of climbing sand dunes he was about ready to throw in the towel and let the shifting sands bury him forever, which would probably be less painful than trekking to the Gerudo Fortress, but Zelda was stoically leading the way and he couldn't let her down. Soon he had grown accustomed to watching her back as they climbed up and down the mountains of sand, never changing for hours upon hours.

Until she disappeared under the sand.

At first he wasn't sure what had happened, like the image of her back was burned into his eyes after so long, but she was gone, simply popped out of existence. Link was frozen for a moment, unsure of what exactly had happened, then leaped forward and turned his head from side to side, searching for her in the waves of sand. When he tried to move he realized that the sand had covered his ankles and his calves; he was slowly sinking in. Jumping back, he tore the Pirate's Charm from his pocket and waited for it to light up blue, but there was no response.

"Zelda!" He yelled, stumbling across the waves of sand, searching for her in the sand, digging away the surface of the dunes. The sandstorm poured sand into the holes he had dug, a restless tide, and Link desperately tried to shield them from the wind, hoping he would find a hand, a finger, anything to show that she was there, that she was safe.

Every time he dug his hands deeper into the sand more took its place. A restless cycle. Futile.

Link sat back against the sand dune, the wind tearing at his face and hands. She was gone, Zelda was gone. After all they had been through, she vanished in the sand. This was _not happening._ How could this happen?

"Hey, kid."

Link jumped about ten feet in the air and spun around, searching for the source of the voice. He didn't even notice that he had drawn the Goddess Sword. "Who's there?"

"Put that thing down, loser. No one's gonna kill nobody." A floating shadow hovered on the top of the dune, and Link scrambled up the slope and stood before the figure. It was a man, cloaked in long locks of brown hair, _floating_ on a carpet.

 _I'm hallucinating. This is some sort of mirage._

"Not a mirage, loser. I'm the Carpet Merchant. What, you've never heard of me? I do business in Castle Town, kid! Way up in the heights? Eh, forget it. Let me guess, you just lost your girlfriend in the River of Sand."

Link was too tired to correct him. "River of Sand?" A clock began ticking at the back of his head – if Zelda was stuck under the sand she could only hold her breath for so long. Panic clawed at his throat and his breath came shallowly. _I can't let her down._

"Yeah, sure. You didn't see the signs? It's a test for the Hero – y'know, the old one from a million years ago? Don't call Gangstadorf on me for telling you, he's real uptight on that type of stuff."

"I know, believe me, I know. Where'd she go?" Link asked, desperation seeping into his voice.

"Really want to find her, don't ya, kid? Okay, I gotcha. Listen, all you have to do is use your handy dandy Hookshot and latch onto that sign over there. See in the distance?" The Carpet Merchant pointed to a splotch down in the valley between the two dunes, past the River of Sand. "It'll spit her right back out. Like I said, test for the Hero. You are the Hero, aren't you?"

"A question I ask myself every day." Link muttered. "Thanks for your help."

"No problem, loser. Be sure to recommend me to that girl of yours!" The man turned his carpet and zoomed off over the dunes, kicking up a fine trail of sand as he went.

"River of Sand. Hookshot. Right. You'd better not be lying to me, desert guy." Link took the Hookshots out and latched one onto his arm, then aimed for the blotch the Carpter Merchant had said was a sign. Sure enough, when the chain unraveled it caught onto the wooden surface of the sign and dragged Link across the River of Sand to safety. The sand rumbled and rippled, churning and bubbling like water, then gave a great belch-like sound and Zelda collapsed onto the bank coughing and spitting out sand. She was completely covered in damp sand, her hair was matted with it, and Link could only wonder how long she had been under there. When her panting breaths subsided he began to explain.

"It's a test for the Hero, the River of Sand, and this old guy on a flying carpet told me to use my Hookshot on this sign to get you back to safety..."

Zelda held up her hand in a stop-talking gesture. "Wait, wait, wait. What?" Her eyes were full of panic and she looked terrified, an expression he had rarely even seen cross her features. It was almost unnerving.

"I know, it sounds crazy." Link tugged the Hookshot from the sign and the chain re-wrapped itself around the glove. "What happened to you?"

"I was just minding my own business when suddenly the ground gives out from under me and I'm trapped underneath the sand! It was like drowning, and there wasn't any air, I couldn't tell which direction was up or down..." Zelda shuddered. "I'm glad you got me out when you did. I was about to run out of breath..." In moments her shudders had turned to sobs and Link retreated a half-step, uneasy. If there was any mystery in the world, it was women. If he tried to comfort her she would probably claw his eyes out or something.

"Listen, princess, I'm sorry. I should have gotten you out of there sooner." _Some Hero..._

"No, no, it's my fault. Just this, and the Anubis, it's kind of catching up to me." Link recalled the chandelier punching into the beast's skull and his stomach turned.

"I get it."

"And now you're going to think I'm weak. Great." Zelda huffed, and Link laughed. "What?"

"Nothing. It's just that if I know anyone who's weak, it's sure as hell not you. You're tough as nails, princess. You think any girl could fire arrows into the eyes of a massive shadow dog sculpted by magic? Your standards are too high."

Zelda smiled, but Link could tell she didn't truly believe him. "Sure, okay. Now let's keep going. We need to get to that fortress before sundown, or we're really in trouble."

"We weren't in trouble already? The life of a Hero is a tragic one, I guess. So much danger, so little time." The fear of the moment was passing, and he wanted to distract Zelda, maybe get a laugh out of her. Take the image of her panicked eyes out of his mind.

"You might want to put your sword away, too. Were you going to interrogate the Carpet Merchant if he didn't tell you how to cross the river?"

Link glanced down at the Goddess Sword, which glowed slightly in the dim light. "Something like that." _I would have. Never scare me like that again, princess._

Scared. Like the Triforce of Courage could ever get scared... And he was living proof of it.

They started walking again, the only sound the howling of the wind echoing in his ears, and Link cursed himself again. When Zelda had gone under he had frozen. If the Carpet Merchant hadn't been there she would have died, no way would he have thought of using the Hookshot on that sign. What kind of Hero was he? A pretty lousy one at best. _Some Hero..._

Zelda finally spoke up to break the silence. "What would a merchant be doing in the middle of the desert? You said he had a flying carpet?"

Link shrugged, glancing back to the dune where the merchant had been camped. No trace was left over from the merchant, just the same rolling sand. "Maybe I was imagining things. Should have traded something for his carpet, we'd be to the Gerudo Fortress in no time."

Soon they fell back into the rhythm of plodding along through the desert sand. If anything, the sandstorm seemed to increase in ferocity as they continued, savagely attacking any uncovered skin. The winds pushed Link from side to side as he walked, howling louder than the Anubis had back at the Spirit Temple, and suddenly fighting the beast didn't seem too bad. At least the chamber wasn't full of swirling sand, and the ground had been flat. Link's muscles burned and he was tired of watching the same dunes rising and falling over and over again, shifting underneath his boots.

It was impossible to tell the time with the sun shielded by the sandstorm, but the air grew steadily colder and the light dimmer, which made Zelda push harder the reach the fortress. She didn't say why, but Link knew – if they didn't reach that fortress before nightfall, they would get lost and buried in the sand. After hours of no indication they were even heading in the right direction, a flicker of torchlight shone on the horizon.

"There!" The wind nearly drowned out Zelda's voice.

"I see it!" Link responded, sliding down the side of a dune and running for the light. A structure began to emerge from the shadows, a large complex made out of bricks, stacked like blocks. The building was sheltered in a niche formed by a great cliff, and the angular style of building gave it a solid, strong feel. Bricks laddered their way up the building, worn away from years of sandstorms. Despite the raging sandstorm, two guards waited outside, pacing back and forth with measured steps. Both were covered in layers of clothing to protect from the sand – long, baggy pants, boots tied with cloth up to their knees, vests over long, loose sleeves, bandaged wrists and elbows, and bandannas over their noses and holding back their long auburn hair. Strange, high-tech goggles covered their eyes, glittering in the darkness. When Link got closer he could tell they were night-vision.

The Gerudo guards saw them instantly and drew their weapons, twin scimitars, and Link reached for the Goddess Sword. Zelda stopped him, though, holding up her hands in a sign of surrender.

"We come in peace!" She shouted, and the first Gerudo snorted.

"Oh, sure. 'Just wayward stragglers, please save us! While you keep us hidden we can find the weak point of your fortress and send them to Gangstadorf!' We've stayed alive this long under Gangstadorf's rule by staying smart. I'm not about to let some random people through our doors, especially a male." Even through the night-vision goggles, Link could tell she was glaring at him. Zelda hadn't been joking.

"We're not with Gangstadorf!" Zelda insisted, stepping closer to the guards, slightly unsteady from their long journey, and the guard pointed her scimitar at Zelda's head threateningly.

"That's what anyone in alliance with Gangstadorf would say, wouldn't they?"

"She has a point." Link muttered.

"Not helping!"

The first Gerudo began to walk closer, twirling the scimitars lazily. "What's your name, girl?"

"Epona?" Link offered.

"I am Princess Zelda of Hyrule Castle Town." She announced proudly, and Gerudo froze before bursting into raucous laughter.

"Oh, that's a good one! That's rich! Princess Zelda, sure. Any way you can prove that, Princess?" The Gerudo's tone was dripping with sarcasm and Zelda bristled.

"Yes, I can." She reached into the magic pouch and withdrew the golden bow. In the fading light of the night its glow spread tendrils of light across the desert sand, and the Gerudo fell silent. The second withdrew a small radio and keyed in a certain command.

"Aveil? Yeah, you might want to get down here. We have a problem." The first Gerudo began to walk back to the fortress. "Follow me!" She called over her shoulder, and Link and Zelda walked after her. The second Gerudo whirled and placed the flat side of her scimitar against Link's chest.

"Not you. You'll have to spend the night in the dungeon."

"Great. Thanks, I've been needing some dungeon time lately." Link joked, but the Gerudo's expression remained as blank as the brick walls of the fortress.

The fortress was enormous, and Link could truly appreciate its size as he got closer to the structure. The huge sections of the brickwork were thrust out of the sand like pillars, reaching high above Link's head and looking very solid. No way he could break down a wall to get out. Once they reached a door the guard swiped a card through a keypad by the doorknob and the lock clicked open. Impressed, Link pointed at the card.

"Any chance I can get my hands on one of those?"

Sniffing with distaste, the Gerudo pocketed the card carefully. "No chance. This is a Gerudo Membership Card. Only true Gerudo can get around the fortress if they have one of these."

A long set of stairs led down into the dungeons, a corridor flanked with barred cells, some occupied, some not. Link peeked inside one of them and saw a Bokoblin huddled in the corner, who snorted at him as he passed. The cells were guarded as well, with a few battle-ready Gerudo with scimitars like the guards outside. While the Gerudo hadn't tied his hands to prevent escape, it was obvious from the looks of the other Gerudo Link passed that he wasn't going anywhere. He knew the look in their eyes, they wanted to pick a fight. Surprisingly, the Gerudo hadn't taken any of his weapons or money, either. Maybe escaping the cell wouldn't be as hard as he thought. Still, he would have to get one of those membership passes if he wanted to find Zelda again.

The cell was blocked in the front by thick iron bars crossed in a windowpane design, with barely enough space between them to fit an arm through. The bars were about two inches thick and would be near impossible to break. When Link and the Gerudo came near the entrance to the cell he stumbled against the guard, who shoved him off with a look of revulsion on her face.

"Sorry, it's been a long day." He explained.

Once Link was inside the cell the Gerudo slid the door shut and chained it with a lock about the size of a plate. The tumblers clicked and the lock twisted shut with a sense of finality.

"A little excessive, don't you think?" He asked as the Gerudo took the key out of the lock, but she ignored him.

"Food and water will be brought in the morning. Don't give us an excuse to kill you. Because we will."

"Right. Lesson learned." Link stepped back from the bars and saluted, which made the Gerudo's fingers twitch to her scimitars.

"You've been warned." She stalked away from the cell, visibly furious.

"Thanks for that... And for this." Link pulled the membership pass out of his pocket, which he had pickpocketed from the Gerudo moments ago. "All right, princess. Let's get out of here."

 **I don't know about you, but I'm a really competitive person, and I just happened to notice that TTC (The Timeline Chronology, my other Zelda fic, if you didn't know) is catching up in reads** ** _and_** **reviews to this story! Which is really surprising, since it was a random offshoot thing I just happened to make one day. Anyways, we of Team Remnants (that's you) need to fight for the lead! So far we're in first for reads and reviews in total, but TTC is catching up! Represent Team Remnants by reviewing! If you like this story spread it around so others can find it! Let's beat TTC!**

 **Reviews, follows and favorites go to support Team Remnants! Link and Zelda are cheering for you! Imagine their approval when you go and start typing in a review... Wait, here they are now!**

 **(By the power of fanfiction!)**

 **Link: Hey, lookin' fine. Check out that review box down there, you know the one. 'Course you do, you genius reader. Why don't you just go and type in a few words... That's the ticket...**

 **Zelda: Link, you can't just smooth-talk your way into getting reviews?**

 **Link: Who's stopping me? *smiles***

 **Zelda: Whatever you say,** ** _Epona._**

 **Link: *unintelligible yelling***

 **There you have it. If that's not going to get you to review I don't know what will. GO TEAM REMNANTS!**

 **If you do review don't forget to add in Team Remnants... Let's see who else out there is competitive!**

 **I guess that's all for now. Until next time and GO TEAM REMNANTS!**


	11. The Great Escape

**Ladies and gentlemen, step right up, step right up for the next chapter of Remnants!**

 **(Step? Read? Click? ...?)**

 **I guess I'm overthinking things. Welcome back!**

 **There's not really much else to say, I guess. Read on...?**

 **(I really need to get my act together. At least it's Friday!)**

Beside the barred door and the lock, the cell was bare of any decoration, not even a toilet, which Link realized would become a problem if he was expected to stay there for an extended period of time. The walls were made of the same stone the outside of the fortress was, with no handholds to climb up. The dungeon was solitary, too – the only person nearby was a guard that would patrol back and forth, keeping an eye on the prisoners. With the right harmonica solo it would turn into the stereotypical escape-is-impossible jail scenario.

His best bet was the guard, but after a few minutes of trying to get her attention and failing miserably, Link switched to a different tactic.

"So, the Gerudo are hiding from Gangstadorf? Never thought such a proud and noble race would think of fleeing, especially from their own kind."

Even though he was laying it on thick, the Gerudo leaped from her post and charged toward him. "Who told you that?" She ordered, eyes flashing dangerously. In moments her scimitar was at her side, but she hadn't pulled out her radio to order his execution or anything. So far, so good.

"Just one of your sentries. I guess the desert is a good place to turn tail and run..."

"The Gerudo _never_ turn tail!" The guard barked. "Gangstadorf was exiled when we realized his evil ways. It appears he learned how to fend for himself."

"Fend for himself is putting it lightly. Try multi-million dollar corporations, drug cartels, and monster gangs on for size."

"That little..." The Gerudo mimed a violent hand gesture. "If I ever get my hands on him I'm going to stick my scimitar right up his..."

"You know," Link interjected, leaning against the bars, "Zelda and I are searching for the Hero. You heard she was _Princess_ Zelda, right?"

The Gerudo nodded. "I heard that too. Nobility here is an honor, of course, until Gangstadorf corrupted it. He calls himself Mayor, more like dictator."

"I think 'Supreme Ruler or All' has a nice feel to it. Anyways, so I was pretty much giving her a ride around to these different temples and places, and we found some pretty epic stuff. She thinks," Link lowered his voice, as if sharing a secret, "She thinks that we might find a way to defeat Gangstadorf and unseat him from his throne."

"Really?" The Gerudo stared. "How? Is it possible?"

"Oh, yeah. I tell you, Zelda's the real deal. All we need to do is find the Hero. Only thing is, can't quite do that behind bars, y'know?" He expected the Gerudo to be understanding, but her expression hardened and she pointed the scimitar tip at him.

"I know what you're doing, trying to con your way out of here. Well, you're not getting past me!" And Link was back at square one again, just like that.

With nothing to do for hours on end, Link could appreciate the fine criminal-containing workmanship of his cell. The entire thing wasn't especially large, but it was tall, the only exit through the locked door or a window set at the highest point on one wall. The walls were made of stones, but were too slick or insubstantial to get a grip on or climb up to freedom. A wooden board shielded some of the window, and Link assumed it could be used to cover the window if there were sandstorms or other extreme weather. Apparently the sandstorm he had been caught in had dissipated.

On the other hand, he still had the tools he had accumulated over his journey with Zelda. The newly upgraded Goddess Sword, which wouldn't be very useful in this situation, the Pirate's Charm, which he was sorely tempted to chuck out the window for all it had helped him before, and the Hookshot, encrusted with sand but still usable. None would be useful now. Unless he could somehow distract the guard...

"Um, hello? Down here?" Link yelled down the hallway, and the Gerudo guard's voice echoed back.

"No! Shut your mouth before I make you!"

"Okay, okay. I was just wondering if you know anything about prison escapes. It's been an interest of mine for a while now, and now could be the perfect opportunity for a practical application."

The Gerudo's footsteps approached and Link put on his most winning smile. However, it became evident she wasn't in the mood to talk.

"Listen, I can radio in and have Aveil tear you limb from limb if I really wanted to. You want me to take this radio here..."

"No need to be hasty there." Link stepped back from the barred door, raising his hands in surrender. "I'm fine. I think I'll just sit in the corner and reflect on my past mistakes with the Gerudo kind."

The guard raised an eyebrow, like, _go ahead, make my day._ "Trying to be smart with me?"

"Nope! Just quiet and respectful. Emphasis on quiet."

"Good." The Gerudo clipped her radio back onto her belt and walked back down the hallway. In moments Link had withdrawn the Hookshot and pointed it at the wooden board.

"This had better work..." He whispered, and released the chain. The Hooshot's barbs buried themselves in the wood and Link was yanked up onto the window's ledge. From there he could observe the whole fortress, and the heavy security patrolling it.

Gerudo guards wandered every section of the fortress, equipped with night-vision goggles and scimitars. Link watched them patrol the grounds of the fortress and some of the balconies made from lower floors. Thankfully the sandstorm had abated and he could observe the situation. The guards looked pretty well-trained; Link couldn't find a weak spot in their patrols as well as he could see. Any one of them could alert their superiors that he had escaped, and he needed to find Zelda sooner than they could track him down. Glancing once more back into the cell, Link jumped from the window onto the roof of anther building and crept along the edge, staying low to avoid suspicion. Thankfully the Gerudo had invested in night-vision goggles and not security cameras. And put convenient escape routes in their prison cells.

"That is one serious design flaw." Link strained to hear anything from the dungeon, but no sound came from the building. The Gerudo guard hadn't noticed his absence yet.

Link hopped down to the ground and dove behind a pile of boxes as two Gerudo strode by, armed with spears. With their fancy goggles and battle-ready weapons, they certainly looked intimidating, and Link could tell where Gangstadorf got his fight from. It took moments for the Gerudo to realize something was amiss, though, and they caught sight of him.

"Hey! We have an escaped prisoner in zone oh-eight-four!" The Gerudo shouted into her radio, and Link jumped on top of the boxes and pulled himself onto the roof again as the Gerudo swarmed below him. A spear whistled past his shoulder, missing by inches. Dodging another projectile, Link dove for the nearest door and jumped inside, slamming the door behind him and ramming the bolt down to lock it. A scimitar pierced the flimsy wood of the door and Link scrambled back, bumping into a pile of ancient boxes.

The room must have been a storage closet ten million years ago, since it was full of rotting, cobweb-strung boxes piled to the ceiling. Wherever Link stepped he left an imprint in a layer of dust about an inch thick. It looked like it hadn't been used in years.

Pausing to observe his surroundings, Link heard a faint sound behind a stack of crumbling pots that sounded suspiciously like smacking. _Just what I need – company._ He drew the Goddess Sword, which cast a faint glow around the room, and approached the source of the noise. Only when he looked down did he notice the footprints, and they looked fresh.

"The luck of the Hero." Link groaned under his breath, and the smacking sound stopped sharply. So whoever it was had heard him.

Inching forward, Link traced the footprints to a particularly large box and with one swipe of his sword carved through the thin wood and revealed the strangest creature Link had ever seen.

It was small, only reaching up to Link's knees, vaguely humanoid and shrouded in a long blue cloak and blue turban with a drooping feather. The most curious feature was its green-tinted skin, the color of cacti. Its beetle-black eyes squinted at Link, bulbous head wobbling slightly as it comprehended the scene. When it caught sight of the Goddess Sword it shrieked and covered its face with spindly arms, visibly trembling.

"Oh, good Gerudo, please do not punish me!" It moaned, then peeked at Link from between its arms. "But you do not appear to be Gerudo, sir..."

"An excellent observation." Link sheathed the Goddess Sword and stepped away from the creature, which he surmised to not be a threat. "I'm not going to hurt you, okay?"

"Thank you, sir!" The creature moaned weakly.

"Um... Are you okay? What are you doing in here? What's your name?" Link asked, slightly confused why the Gerudo would have a creature like this in a closet in their fortress.

"Oh, kindly sir! Zario of the Zuna peoples, at your service!" Zario bent over at the waist in a bow, the feather of his turban brushing the dusty ground.

"Well met, Zario. I'm Link."

Zario tilted his head to the side, examining Link with small, beady eyes. "Link, he says..." He murmured. "Surely... But no, it cannot be."

"Can't be what?" Link sat back on his heels, now on the same level as the Zuna.

"I have met a young man named Link before, sir! Four young men, sir!"

"Four?" Link's brows knitted. "Hate to break it to you, pal, but I'm no quadruplet. Sorry."

Zario bowed again, eyes welling with tears. "It is I who should apologize, sir! I have angered you sir, the benevolent man who has rescued me from my captivity!"

Link glanced at the teetering stacks of boxes and moldering pots. "Captivity? The Gerudo kept you here?"

Zario bobbed his head quickly so that his turban slid down over his eyes. "Yes, sir! I am the last of my race, the Zuna. The Gerudo, firm but kind, sir, they insist on keeping me here, for I know much. I have seen many sunrises, sir. So they keep me here with my scrolls. I am writing a history of all I have seen, and all I know from my father and his grandfather, the knowledge of my people, the desert folk!" Link stared at the boxes with renewed interest, then cracked one open and pulled out an aged scroll. The edges of the parchment withered and cracked under his fingers after years of disuse, but the ink was clearly lettered on the page.

 _I fear for the safely of Hyrule, for the great demon king Ganondorf has taken hold of the realm with great vigor and drowns it in his darkness. And the child Hero is nowhere to be seen. For four years we have labored in his absence. For eternity we will wait._

"From many years ago." Zario pointed at the scroll. "I have only heard of these Heros. Truly they are great."

 _The Heroes. I bet there's a thousand scrolls in here about their great works. And then there's me..._

"Zario, you remember all this?" Link pulled out another scroll and skimmed through the text, which recalled the writings of a certain Ravio. The next chronicled the legend of a fairy named Sprite, titled 'Myth or Mystery?'

"Indeed, sir, you praise Zario greatly." The Zuna flitted about over the boxes, arranging them carefully. "The Gerudo are kind, providing me with necessities while I write my histories. Soon I will be caught up to the present day! It is strange, though," Zario frowned, pulling at his tunic, "To write about such inventions as telephones and automobiles. My father would not believe it if I told him! So strange, sir."

Link carefully placed a scroll back into its place and walked over to Zario, who was brushing the dust off of another manuscript with care. If all of these boxes were filled with the history of Hyrule, then Zelda wouldn't need the library in the Castle Skyscraper. She could name an event and Zario probably had the exact location of the scroll memorized.

"Zario, why do you stay here?" Link asked without thinking, and the Zuna seemed to wither.

"As much as I enjoy writing the scrolls, sir, I cannot escape back to my desert home. The Gerudo prefer for me to stay here. Why, though, I cannot say."

Link thought for a second, wondering why the Gerudo would care about an unassuming creature like Zario. "And they never come in here?"

"Not since the day they brought me here. They provide food and water through that trapdoor, along with scrolls and ink." Zario pointed a trembling finger to a hole in the ceiling Link hadn't noticed before. It was propped open like the window in his cell, and easily accessible with the Hookshot.

"Nayru. That totally sucks."

Zario drooped, his turban falling over his ears. "Indeed, sir."

"Well, have no fear, Link is here!" Link pulled out the Hookshot and showed it to Zario, who jumped back. "Don't worry, it's not a weapon."

"Oh, one of the mighty tools of the Hero!" Zario squeaked, eyes shining. "But however did you acquire it, sir?"

Link slipped the Hookshot onto his arm and aimed it at random boxes. "That's quite the story, actually. You know of a place called the Spirit Temple?"

"The Temple of Spirit!" The Zuna's voice had risen to an octave too high for comfort, but his excitement was almost tangible. "It was the mighty Zuna race who constructed the temple, sir! We built pyramids for ages, sir, but a temple was easy to assemble. It is a mighty temple, is it not? Fitting for Farore, sir?"

Remembering the holes in the floor and the obvious disrepair of the place, Link wondered how long it had been since Zario had been to the temple. Then again, the Zuna was probably older than any other creature Link had met before, even old man Aginah, if it even was possible to be older than that ancient wart.

"Um, yeah. Very nice. Did you put the Hookshot there?"

Zario leaped on top of a pile of boxes and withdrew a single scroll. "From my personal memorandum, sir! This is a list of the supplies used in the Temple of Spirit construction. No Hookshot, sir. Apologies!"

"It's cool. Just wondering." _If Zario didn't put the Hookshot in the temple, then who did?_

"I have upset you, sir!" Zario cried, clutching his turban. "I meant to do no such thing!" Link shook his head, walking over to the trapdoor in the ceiling. Where would it lead? If Zario received food from it, maybe the kitchens. He also was supplied parchment and ink... A study of some sort? The Gerudo seemed like a more active race, though, Link doubted they would shut themselves up in a room doing bookwork.

"Hey, Zario, when I came in I was kind of being chased by the Gerudo. Why didn't they follow me in here?"

To Link's surprise, Zario chuckled lightly. "That would be my fault, sir! I tempted them into believing that I was bewitched, sir, and they're terrified of this room. That's why it's so dusty. No one has stepped foot into this room for years until you stumbled in!"

"Cursed, huh? How'd you pull that off?" Link grinned, sizing up the diminutive creature. Surely he couldn't scare an entire race of female warriors?

"Like you said previously, sir – it's quite the story." The Zuna perked up to its full yet still petite height.

"All right. Now, are you ready to break out of here?" Link had expected Zario to agree wholeheartedly, but the creature looked back at the stacks of boxes with longing. After all, it was his only job, and probably his only pleasure in life. How could he just abandon it? Crouching down again, Link stared into Zario's tearful eyes. "The way I see it, you can finish your histories and wait around here until the Gerudo leave of you die. But if you come with me, we can change all that. You miss the desert, the outside word? Do you remember the feel of the sand or the sunlight? Remember sunlight, Zario?" Although the sunlight and sand were both things Link wouldn't mind to never encounter again, it had the desired effect of the Zuna, who threw out his chest stoically.

"You're right, sir. Kind _and_ wise!"

"Please, you flatter me." Link leveled the Hookshot at the trapdoor. "Ready?"

"Ready, sir!" Zario cheered, and Link fired the Hookshot at the wood. The barbs sunk into the trapdoor and Link was dragged up onto the next floor, toting Zario behind him.

At least one of his guesses had been right – the next floor was a kitchen, but like Zario's previous establishment, it appeared to have actually been used a millennium ago. The pots and pans were rusted through and oxidized as green as Zario's skin, and the kitchen counter was coated in layers of dust that covered the various measures and spoons scattered across it. Even the air seemed to be swimming in the loess.

"I think someone just failed their heath inspection." Link choked out, but Zario couldn't be happier, whooping as he jumped around through the dusty kitchen like it was the fanciest hotel in Castle Town.

"Oh, sir, you are too kind to me!" Zario squealed as he dashed along the countertop, leaving a trail of displaced dust in his wake. "This is too wonderful!"

"Wonderful?" Link smiled and opened the kitchen door. "This is trash. You haven't seen anything yet."

Zario's eyes widened to the size of rupees. "Really, sir?"

"Zario, you ever heard of Princess Zelda?"

The Zuna just about fainted on the spot. "You are speaking of the fairest maiden in Hyrule, bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, the most gentle spirit ever to grace this realm? Oh, sir, truly I have heard of her, and her noble deeds I could list for centuries!" Zario opened his mouth, as if he were about to recount all of Zelda's various righteous actions, but Link cut him off.

"You want to meet her?"

Zario was so startled he couldn't speak, just gape up at Link.

"Come on. Let's go find us a princess."

 **If you wanted a random moment of epic Remnants awesomeness, I was reading a book and someone had a line that was all snarky and sarcastic and ended in "...Princess." And it was such a Link moment! Random but cool.**

 **Anyways, news. Surprisingly, I actually have some. If you go on my profile you'll see a poll for Team Remnants or Team TTC. Be sure to vote for Team Remnants! Let's see which story can get more votes... :)**

 **Reviews/Favorites/Follows go to the Gerudo Membership Card Organization, dedicated to the distribution of Membership Cards to the Gerudo Race. Call 1-800-GET-CARD for your free sample! Completely free** ** _with shipping and handling fees of two thousand rupees._**

 **(But don't actually call the number)**

 **(I'm serious. Don't.)**

 **ANYWAYS what were we talking about? What did you think of the chapter? Zario kind of reminds me of Dobby from Harry Potter (one of my favorite book series.) And did anyone find the TINY Agents of Shield reference? If you did PM me or add it in your review and I'll give you a shoutout in the next chapter. Hopefully I haven't dissuaded you from reviewing, and be sure to support Team Remnants!**

 **I haven't said this in a while, I think, but if you are a new reviewer don't forget to add in a favorite story of yours in your review for me to read. It's the least I can do if you're so kind as to read a story of mine :)**

 **That might be all for now! Until next time, and don't forget to support Team Remnants!**


	12. A Duel to the Death

**Hello, all, and welcome back to Remnants! The leader in the TTC vs Remnants voting contests by one! (so far)**

 **... I can't really think of much else to say up here. Read on!**

Navigating the Gerudo Fortress wasn't hard. It was the Gerudo themselves who posed a problem.

Aveil, who Zario had informed Link was the leader of the Gerudo, had grown paranoid during Gangstadorf's rise to power and had posted guards around every corner, patrolling every hallway.

"What do we do now?" Link asked Zario as they peeked around a corner and saw two Gerudo guards standing ready.

"Does your Hookshot disable them?" Zario asked, and Link glanced down at the sharp barbs of the Hookshot.

"If you mean disable them permanently, yeah. I don't want to kill them, I just want to get by."

The Zuna pointed to the Goddess Sword in its sheath. "How about your sword, sir? Hit them with the flat of your blade!" He mimed a strike and Link raised an eyebrow.

"For a historian you're pretty bloodthirsty, Zario. Okay, I'll try it. You distract them and I'll take them out."

Without hesitation Zario jumped out from behind the wall and ran over to the Gerudo. Thanks to his diminutive height the Gerudo didn't notice him until he situated himself beside them and gave the shrillest, loudest taxicab whistle Link had ever heard in his life. For such a little guy Zario had good lungs.

The Gerudo jumped a foot in the air and searched for the source of the noise for at least five seconds, enough time for Link to enter the hallway and whack the guards over the head with the Goddess Sword. Both crumpled to the ground and Link shot Zario and appraising glance.

"Nice work. We'll be out of here in no time."

The only problem was, Link didn't know where Zelda was. She wasn't in the dungeons, but that was the only place he could eliminate. She might be locked in a closet like Zario had been for all he knew. Kneeling beside the Gerudo guards, he took one of their radios and opened the frequencies. A rush of chatter flooded through the radio, and Link switched the channels until he found word of Zelda.

"Yeah, we have him pinpointed at the creep's place. Anyone volunteer to go in? No, it's not cursed... Yes, I've heard the legends!"

"Aveil, I think you might want to know this..."

"Detaining the prisoner now, tell him I don't need to buy Sailcloths, or sails in general. This is the desert!"

"Bringing the princess to Aveil's chamber. Prepare to interrogate."

Link almost dropped the radio. "Interrogate?"

Zario nodded sadly. "Indeed, sir. Although Aveil is kind, she has grown worried with the rise of Gangstadorf. When she wants information, sir, she will receive it by any means necessary."

"Do you know where Aveil's chamber is, Zario?"

The Zuna bobbed its head furiously. "Oh, yes, sir! I have drawn a full map in one of the scrolls, complete with labels and a detailed legend! Follow me, sir!"

Link would have been very lost without Zario. The Gerudo fortress was winding and difficult to navigate, but Zario had no problem, weaving his way through the corridors with ease. Much to Link's surprise, the whistling-and-bashing technique for getting rid of the guards was working, too. Even though he was cactus-green and not particularly fast, Zario was completely ignored by the Gerudo until he shattered their eardrum with his shrill whistling. Every so often they would come to a locked door and Link would swipe the Gerudo Membership Pass to get through.

"They're worried about Gangstadorf breaking in here? That Aveil character must be smarter than I thought. A Kikiwi could get in here no problem!" Link exclaimed as he smacked the Goddess Sword across the back of a Gerudo guard's head.

"Perhaps so, sir!" Zario exclaimed, looking as close as Link had ever seen him to laughing.

Their plan was almost busted when one of the Gerudo caught Zario weaving between their ankles and aimed a sharp kick at him, which the Zuna dodged easily.

"Hey!" She exclaimed, and Zario scampered back to Link, who lifted the Goddess Sword in preparation for a fight.

"You're that cursed historian guy! And you're... Are you that escort of the princess?"

"Escort?" Link placed a hand on his chest like he was offended. "The princess wouldn't be here without me. I would consider us at least partners in crime."

"Crime is right." The Gerudo guard scoffed. "You're an insult to our intelligence. Let's show him how we can fight!"

After about two seconds Link realized that the Gerudo fight _hard._ Wasting no time, the first guard spun her spear straight at Link's face, and he only managed to bat it away before it impaled him. The other two guards readied their weapons but didn't interfere with the fight, waiting their turn. The first guard tried again to jab at his face, but he was prepared this time and forced the spear down to her feet, then rammed his shoulder into hers. Stumbling back dazedly, the guard didn't even try to block the blow when Link struck her across the head with the Goddess Sword.

"Who's next?" He asked, grinning and holding his arms out to his sides.

As it appeared, the second Gerudo was more than ready, and she whipped her spear out with such speed that Link could barely follow it as it crashed into the side of his head.

Zario squealed as Link lurched to the side with the spear's momentum, and the guard was swinging the spear around again in seconds. Barely ducking under the second swipe, Link rolled underneath the spear and kicked out at the Gerudo's legs. She winced but continued to attack with ferocity as Link stood, blocking the wooden hilt of her spear with his blade.

Spinning on one heel, the Gerudo guard wound up for a strike and lashed out at Link, jabbing at his lower side. He managed to catch the wooden part of the spear on the hilt of the Goddess Sword, but the sharp side of the spear slid over this side, cutting through his shirt and grazing his side. Forcing the blade back up, Link lunged forward and smacked the guard's spear into her face using his momentum. Her eyeballs trembled in their sockets with the ringing force before she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

No more games – Link was ready when the last guard came up to him, wary now when he struck. She had a precise way of fighting, but slower that her companions, and Link managed to loop her ankle and pull her to the ground, an old trick from the fighting ring back in Castle Town. Once the hallway was clear he and Zario could proceed.

"Not much further now!" The Zuna announced, rounding a corner and pointing down a long hallway that was practically lined with guards. "See that door at the end of the corridor there? That's Aveil's chamber. The princess should be there."

"I don't think these guys are going to fall for the old whistling trick, you think?" Link asked, counting the Gerudo guards in the hallway. At least ten, maybe more. No way would they be able to get down to there undetected.

Zario moaned as he saw all of the guards waiting for them. "What are we going to do? And we were so close."

Link turned slowly to his new companion and smiled. "I believe I might have an idea."

Minutes later Zario rounded the corner boldly and hollered, " _Cursed Gerudo!"_ The guards started and wheeled around, paling as they saw Zario approach them, swirling his hand around the Pirate's Charm Link had handed him moments ago like some sort of magic talisman. A few backed away in shock, quavering hands clutching their scimitars, making the blades wobble. Then it was Link's cue – Zario beckoned with his hand and Link stumbled after him. He had purposefully torn his clothes and smeared dirt and blood over him face and body, dulling the look in his eyes to look like a magically tortured victim. For a moment his head whipped to the Gerudos and he croaked out a faint message.

"Please, help me... Help me!"

"Silence!" Zario screeched, and Link snapped to attention rigidly. The Zuna walked over to him and dangled the Pirate's Charm before his eyes. Link rocked back on his heels and let out a fake hiss of pain, then rolled his eyes back and crumpled to the ground.

The Gerudo were terrified now, knees knocking together as they watched the events unfold. They had heard the legends of the cursed creature in the closet for ages, but now he had escaped, and took what he had done to the captive!

Zario wasn't finished though; he made a tugging motion with his fingers and Link got back onto his feet like a marionette being yanked by its strings.

"I can control him, you know. Make him do whatever I want." Zario mused, his high-pitched voice eerily mysterious. Link rocked from side to side slowly, awaiting orders.

"I could amuse you, but it would be more fun to watch him kill you. Your sword." The last two words were a barking order and Link unsheathed the Goddess Sword in one swift motion. Even though they were armed as well, the Gerudo shrunk away from the weapon, like it was enchanted as the Pirate's Charm was. With a flourish of the necklace Zario pointed to the far door.

"Kill."

That was the only word the Gerudo needed to hear, no way they were going to turn out like that poor kid. In seconds they had sprinted past Zario in terror, fleeing as fast as their feet could carry them. The hallway was empty in moments.

After the last footsteps had receded from earshot Link sheathed the Goddess Sword and took the Pirate's Charm back from a beaming Zario.

"Guess those legends paid off after all. Ready to meet the princess?"

Zario was shaking almost as much as the Gerudo were, but from excitement. "I can hardly believe it, sir!" He proclaimed, dropping the eerie magician accent. "The brave lady I have chronicled for so long, and I get to meet her! Oh, sir, it is an honor for a humble Zuna like me!"

Link tried to rub off some of the grime off of his face, to no avail. "Well, we'll never get there if we stand around here talking. You can have the honors."

As entrances go, it was very grand. Zario entered first, his little frame suddenly seeming much larger as he shoved the doors open, and Link at the rear, bloodied and dirty, carrying the glowing Goddess Sword in one hand. Everyone turned in shock as they burst in, all conversations stilled.

A Gerudo Link assumed was Aveil was perched on a small throne-like chair, glaring with great intensity at Zelda, who stood flanked by two Gerudo guards. Link was surprised to see her wrists were shackled, but she looked otherwise unharmed. A few other Gerudo advisers stood by Aveil, hands clasped in front of them and twin scimitars strapped across their backs. Each looked like they could gut Link and wouldn't even blink. Aveil's sharp eyes snapped up to Link and Zario as they walked through the doors, filling with dark rage, then curiosity.

"Storyteller? And the prisoner? How did you escape?"

"Funny you would ask – you have a hole in the ceiling." Link commented helpfully, and Zario stepped in front of him. A look of determination to match Aveil's biting glare filled his eyes.

"We have come for the princess!" The Zuna declared, and Aveil scoffed.

"I'm just... Questioning her. I wanted to know how she escaped from Gangsadorf's clutches."

Zelda turned to face Link and Zario, jaw dropping. "What are you _doing here?"_ She hissed.

"A good old-fashioned rescue, princess. Now," Link leveled the Goddess Sword at Aveil's chest, "Unhand her."

Aveil was silent for a moment, unblinking, then she leaned back in her chair and roared with guffawing laughter. The advisers joined in awkwardly, watching their leader with concern, until finally the laughter subsided and Aveil regained her composure.

"You think that you can just waltz in here and save your beloved princess? What makes you even think she needs saving?"

"Um, the handcuffs? Just a guess." Link pointed to Zelda's shackles.

"Oh, those?" Aveil asked, scrambling to justify her actions.

"And don't try to tell me they're friendship bracelets." Aveil's gaze turned murderous and Link took a step back. She withdrew her scimitar with ease and swung it through the air a few times, admiring the blade.

"It's been a long time since I've used this..." She murmured, then her eyes darted up to Link. "You know how we treat escaped prisoners here?"

The scimitar came first, punching at Link's stomach, and he dove to the side to avoid the strike. Aveil's fighting style was more desperate than the other Gerudo, each blow thrown with all her might. The Goddess Sword was in his hands in seconds, and he couldn't turn to the offensive with all of Aveil's wild attacks, slashing at his legs, trying to elbow him in the face, even spitting to distract him. Each of her attacks displayed her incredible talent as a fighter – even though her attacks seemed random, Link could detect a method behind them. No doubt about it, Aveil would be a tough opponent.

An opponent he might not be able to overcome.

As Link tired Aveil seemed to only find more energy, shouting as she swung her scimitar over his head and earning similar shouts of encouragement from the other Gerudo, who, like the guards Link had met earlier, were not interfering with the fight. Link knew if he kept up this was there was no way he could beat the Gerudo leader. He needed to bring some of the momentum to his side.

Aveil had just finished a side swipe when Link brought the Goddess Sword up and shoved it at the hilt of Aveil's scimitar. The blow wasn't especially powerful, but Aveil was so startled by the offensive move that she faltered, giving Link a chance to lash out with a jab of his own, cutting across the scimitar's blade as Aveil parried. Her amber eyes narrowed as Link forced his blade against hers, straining for leverage. Link could see the beads of sweat on her forehead, a good sign. If he wore her out, he might have a chance.

The Gerudo muttered worriedly as Link continued to fight on the offensive, sending powerful blows at Aveil, always keeping in range of the Goddess Sword's reach. Zelda's advice from the Spirit Temple streamed through his head. _Slide you feet as you move. Keep your elbows bent. Don't let her push you back, remember where to keep your weight._ Aveil's strikes grew more sluggish, but Link's faster and more precise. Soon she was unable to even retaliate through the storm of blows Link assaulted her with. It was obvious that the fight leaned in his favor.

Watching Aveil's scimitar carefully, Link twisted the Goddess Sword and locked it into her hilt. Panicking, Aveil jerked the interlocked blades up and her hilt slammed into Link's nose. He forced himself to stay standing and yanked the Goddess Sword to the right, twisting the swords one more time, and Aveil's scimitar clattered to the ground.

Silence fell in the room and Link brought the Goddess Sword to Aveil's throat.

"Tell me everything." He ordered.

Aveil gulped and raised her hands. Lowering the sword to the ground, Link gestured for her to sit.

Visibly shaken, Aveil sat back on the throne and gave a sign to one of the advisers, who unlocked Zelda' handcuffs. She darted over to Link's side and fixed Aveil with a dark glare, but the Gerudo wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry. Let me explain." Aveil whispered. "When I saw you come in, I knew that you were living at Gangstadorf's skyscraper. Castle, whatever he calls it. I assumed you were a spy for him. I've spent so much time trying to keep him out, doubling security, doing whatever I can. You don't know what he was like, do you?" She angled her eyes at Link, who shook his head. "Charming. Infuriatingly so. He blinded us with us, that charm, until we realized his real motives. I banished him on the spot. Ever since we've been terrified he'll resurface, coming back for those who did him his first wrong. Do you understand now why I was hesitant?"

Link wasn't sure hesitant could be defined as trying to kill people with your scimitar, but he understood Aveil's point.

"I'm sorry, Aveil." Zelda said, bowing her head. The Gerudo nodded solemnly.

"I apologize for any delay I have caused you. Surely Gangstadorf has sent out his troops to find you?"

"It even made television." Link recalled.

Aveil stood, extending her hand to Zelda, who took it. "If there is anything the Gerudo race can do to help you, know you have our fully support. Even if Gangstadorf if our kin, his wickedness has gone unchecked for too long."

"You're very kind." Zelda replied.

"Actually, one thing." Link turned and saw Zario standing by the door, trembling. Hurrying to his side, Link knelt by the terrified Zuna.

"You fight like the Hero, sir!" Zario squeaked, and Link laughed.

"Coming from you, I'm honored. Listen, Zario, you want to see the world, right? No more copying it down into scrolls. Want to come with us? I'm sure we'll see a hell of a lot of great places. Interested?"

Zario smiled, and Link was almost sure he was going to agree. "You are kind too, sir, but what you ask is too much. Adventures may be your calling, but I only wish to return to the desert. Perhaps see my homeland again... That is all I ask of you, and I am so in your debt already."

Link shook his head. "You don't owe me anything, Zario." Turning to Aveil, he gestured at Zario. "You said you would help with anything, right? Let Zario go. You've kept him locked up in there for ages. Just let him go home."

Zario's face brightened and his dark eyes sparkled with tears when Aveil nodded. "Of course. It's the least I can do. And one more thing, princess." The Gerudo glanced around the room for a moment, looking almost nervous. "If you're looking for aid in your quest, I'd advise you head to Clock Town. There's a group called the Resistance there that have been operating for some time. I'm sure the escaped princess would be very welcome."

Zelda and Aveil conversed quietly for a moment longer before Aveil called for her guards to escort them out. Thankfully, they didn't pass through any of the hallways with unconscious Gerudo guards. By the time they were outside again the sky was clear of raging sand. Fleecy clouds flitted over a swift wind, a nice view if you were emerging from a tiny closer after years of imprisonment.

Zario stared at the desert in awe, jaw slack and eyes staring, taking in every grain of sand. He stood there for a while before Link knelt beside him again. It was time to part ways.

"Zario, Zelda and I have to go now. You know, sacred flames to find, places to be. But don't ever think I won't go back on that deal we made. You'd make a great adventurer."

The Zuna couldn't tear his gaze from the rising sand dunes. "I will never forget your kindness, sir. Nor forget meeting the princess, either!" He smiled at Zelda, wonder in his eyes. "I will depart for my home, and you your journey. May we meet again!"

Link hiked to the top of the sand dune and waved goodbye to Zario, then slid down the slope and out of sight, Zelda behind him.

"So what's your side of the story, princess? Surely not as precarious as my escape, right?"

"Unfortunately not." Zelda replied, tucking a short strand of hair behind her ear. "They took me and cuffed me, so I couldn't get to my bow, and pretty much grilled me for information on Gangstadorf. Aveil was telling the truth when she said she thought I was a traitor. I think they might have gone to more unsavory methods of getting information out of me if you hadn't come in time."

"That's what Heroes do, princess, don't worry." Link grinned at her, and she laughed. "What?"

"Nothing. You just look totally ridiculous."

"Anyone ever tell you how encouraging you can be at times?"

"No! You have sand and blood all over you, and when you came in I thought –"

"Let me guess." Link interrupted. "Oh, my hero!"

"More along the lines of, 'Oh, great. Here we go again.'"

"But I totally changed your mind with my incredible swordplay, right?"

Zelda laughed again, shaking her head. "I thought you were a goner at first. The Gerudo are a warrior race, and you've had that sword for all of two or three days, or something like that. But when you started to fight back..."

"What can I say? The Goddess Sword has some fight in it." Link shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

"It's actually not the Goddess Sword anymore, now that you've upgraded it. Technically it's the Goddess Longsword."

"Nah, the Goddess Sword is better. More succinct. I'll call it the GS for short."

"That sounds stupid."

"That's a load of GS."

Zelda slugged him on the arm and pointed to the west. "Come on, Hero. Let's go find Epona."

 **Parting with Zario is such sweet sorrow...**

 **Today's donations go to the Castle Town Family Psychiatrist, to treat those poor Gerudo guards' new phobia of Zunas. Be a kindred soul and drop in a review to support these poor Gerudo, will you?**

 **News, news, news... Quite frankly, there really isn't any. I was uber-productive and wrote two chapters this week (I know, wow) but spring break is next week so I should get a _lot_ of writing done then! It's all good. **

**Apparently these author's notes are really long. It's all good. Everything is all good.**

 **Well, I guess that might be it for this update. Until next time!**

 **(Oh! I updated TTC and it has a pretty cool new chapter - at least, I like it a lot. Go check it out if you want to!)**


	13. Victims of Espionage

**I owe you all an apology for the day-late update (them rhymes.) I went on a short trip and couldn't make the Friday update. Sorry for any confusion I might have caused!**

 **But anyways, we're back now. Ready for more action? Read on!**

The journey back to Epona wasn't as grueling as the journey away, partially because they actually knew where they were going. As Link wandered up and down the rolling dunes he asked Zelda about the Resistance Aveil had mentioned.

"So you think they're worth a shot?"

Zelda shrugged, looking wary. "I'm not sure. Seems too good to be true, you know? Just what we're looking for. All the same, going back to the city would be nice. We could find a hotel and get room service..." Her eyes took on a wistful sheen.

"Hold your horses, princess. We're on a budget, right? I can't entertain your every whim."

She scoffed. "I don't think necessities count as whims. You're hungry, aren't you?"

"Don't mention it." Link groaned, stomach growling on command.

He had never been so glad to see Epona in his life, even though the trusty motorcycle was half-covered by sand and dusty from its stay in the desert. Thankfully the engine seemed unaffected by the sandstorm and started up right away, tearing through the sandy dirt and out of the reaches of Sandsea Desert. Green grass poked through the layers of sand until finally the ground gave way to brown earth.

"So I've been meaning to ask..." Link yelled oven the engine's roar, "Why exactly are we going around to all of these temples? First we got the sword, and then the Hookshots. Is there a pattern?"

"Gangstadorf's place is a fortress – I know, because it took a bucketful of luck and months of scheming to even get one person _out._ But getting in, that's the hard part. Each tool will help you get past his defenses. Useful, right? They can also work in temples, kind of like cumulative achievements."

"Looks like the Goddesses want me to get in there and cream him to a pulp."

"The more temples we reach the more tools we can acquire. You can also get useful items from shops and stuff, too, but they'll never be as good as the ones you get in temples."

Link could almost feel the Hookshots weighing in his pocket. "Are these really the old Hero's weapons? He actually used them?"

"That's the idea."

"Nice. Although I would appreciate if they weren't hand-me-downs."

"You're never satisfied, are you? You realize how many people would freak if they realized they were the Hero of Time?" Zelda's laugh was audible over the engine's growl.

Link didn't want to admit it, but the idea was intimidating to him, too. Trials of spirit and temples, the whole setup seemed way to grandiose for a city guy like him. Besides, Zelda had kind of been leading him through the temples, showing him the way around, and she knew where they were going all the time. He didn't want to be some pet Hero, slicing up monsters when he was told to. It was time to own up to this and stop getting led around by the hand.

"Where to next, princess? Clock Town?"

The uncertainty in her voice was clear even over the engine. "I guess... After all, if there is a Resistance..."

"But you don't trust it." Link interrupted. "It seems too easy, like someone's luring us. You think they know about us? Gangstadorf does, since we invaded the Wild Tokay Museum. And that elite squad he made for our extermination kind of showed his hand. If we go there we risk getting caught, which would ruin everything."

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're actually smarter than you look." Shutting off the engine and sending Epona into a screeching halt, Link stomped down to stop the motorcycle's momentum and turned in his seat to face Zelda. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me the first time."

"Can I get that in writing or something?"

Her cheeks reddened and she pointed to the handlebars. "Keep driving!"

After a few minutes of silence Link launched into conversation again. "I vote no for the rebellion group right now. Especially when I'm still getting used to the Goddess Sword and the new weapons, we can't risk showing weakness."

"Me too. I was thinking about heading to Kasuto Town. It's near the Kokiri Forest, and I've heard there's some ancient texts there Gangstadorf there."

"You and your ancient texts – that's a match made in heaven." Link rolled his eyes.

"I wanted to search for information on the sacred flames and the Silent Realms. Thought you might want to know what you're getting into."

"Oh... Thanks." Link replied, slightly embarrassed.

"No problem. Partially because I have no idea what I'm doing, either." She blew out out a short breath of air.

"Really? You seem pretty put-together to me, princess." _More than me, at least._

"Are you serious? I escape the palace and somehow by my own dumb luck stumble across the Hero of Time, who I thought I would have to search for ages to find, and I'm dragging him around to random places trying to find out clues to what I'm actually supposed to be doing. I don't know how these temples are connected, not really. I barely know about the trials of spirit or the sacred flames. I'm kind of making this up as I go along. That's why I would like to finally do my research and have some sort of foundation under me before we continue."

"They don't call it the Triforce of Wisdom for nothing, princess. And that makes two of us."

With Zelda's directions they drove in the general direction of Kasuto before stopping to rest where a merchant from Sale's House O' Bananas sold them a bunch of his produce for five rupees. Although it wasn't gourmet, Link had never tasted anything so good before, probably because he was starving. Zelda had to buy another bunch when they polished the first off in a few minutes.

Although the drive to Kasuto was long, Link didn't mind. It was nice to watch some other view other than endless sand flash by, and after journeying on foot for so long the speed of the motorcycle seemed like a gift from the Goddesses. By the time the sun was setting the town was rising on the horizon. They would be there before dark.

The first thing Link noticed about Kasuto Town was that it was completely different than any town he had ever seen before. Instead of the cramped, winding streets of Castle Town, Kasuto was organized and sprawling, with enough room that you could actually walk on the sidewalks. Link felt exposed with all of the open space, but it was also very welcome – he didn't have to worry about mowing over packs of Deku Scrubs whenever he rode around town.

A helpful citizen pointed them in the direction of the Elde Inn, a small hostel that welcomed travelers. Link and Zelda hurried there quickly and rented a room from a stocky man at the front desk and hurried to their room for some much-needed peace and quiet.

Zelda claimed the shower first after an intense game of Goron-Paper-Scissors and it became evident that she was not going to get out anytime soon, so Link flipped channels and again found the one that broadcasted Castle Town news.

"The number of gang fights increase with yet another territory dispute between the Gorons and the Zora. Citizens have been advised to stay clear of the area until this settles down. With our evening news, here's Beth from Crackariko Village."

"Thanks, Colin. Here in Crackariko Village history-lovers and Zora alike are in shock with the robbery of the Wild Tokay Museum that occurred recently. This has all of the signs of a professional hit, and while crime scene units are investigating the robbery now, it's still unclear what was stolen. The people of Crackariko Village are devastated and this is a hit to the morale of many. Who would commit such a cruel and unprecedented attack of cultural proportions?"

"Yeah, I'm sure the crackheads are shedding lots of tears." Link changed the channel as Beth switched topics to a rescue story about a seahorse who was reunited with its mate in the ocean. If the anchor was so sentimental about the museum robbery, she would probably dissolve into sobbing with such a sweet marine reunion.

One channel was broadcasting a small home production of watching Zora eggs hatch, which Link flipped past, and another showed a scene from one of the arenas in Castle Town. He lingered on this channel until he realized neither of the fighters were competent in any way and grew bored of it, flipping the TV off and opening Zelda's magic pouch instead. He tugged out the large map of Hyrule and located the town of Kasuto, then gaped at the notes Zelda had scrawled across the surface.

Barely an inch of the map was un-inked; it must have taken her hours to write down such detailed notes on the locations on the map. His finger traced their path from Castle Town to the Auto Dealership, which had a newly lettered 'STAY AWAY' warning around it, then to Crackariko Village, and back to Kasuto. The Spirit Temple was outlined in tiny print and Link squinted to read it.

 _Farore's Temple of Spirit. Weapon: Unknown. HOOKSHOT. Use elsewhere? Research the connection. Peahat puzzles? Old/Dilapidated, hasn't been used for a while, proceed with caution. Spirit... A clue to trials of spirit? Research those, too. Locations? Maybe Water-Fire-Earth pattern? More info to follow._

Link looked back to Castle Town, which was practically covered in Zelda's careful print.

 _Proceed cautiously here, watch the posters! New threat. INFO ON HERO: He's a fighter named Link, only one who fights Gorons. Notice the name! Can find him in fights, but they're not really scheduled. New Bokoblin squads on duty, this is their output point. Influence will likely radiate outward. Watch for signs of 'Wanted' posters. Or posters in general, see prior. Final destination will be here. We'll take the fight to Gangstadorf._

Zelda poked her head out from behind the bathroom door and glanced at him. "What are you doing?"

Link looked up from the map. "Figured I might as well familiarize myself with the landscape. If we're going to be running all around it, I mean. You take good notes. How do you know the weapons in some of these dungeons?"

"They're the same as the ones of old. A lot the Hero's stuff is returned to the places where they were found, like a tribute to him or a final resting place thing. Also helps out the Heroes later, as you can tell." She smiled. "Anything pique your interest?"

"Yeah – the Fire Rod sounds pretty sweet. Be sure to bring along some marshmallows when I go to fight Gangstadorf."

"Very funny. I don't want you to burn anything down."

"Oh, come on. It's called the _Fire Rod._ That practically screams 'Burn down stuff!'"

Zelda shook her head. "We're doomed."

"Very funny." Link parroted. "How about this, there's a bow in this one! Think I can rival your expertise?"

A competitive look jumped into Zelda's eyes. "I'd like to see you try."

"Touchy subject?" After seeing Zelda's talent there was absolutely no chance that he would be able to beat her in an archery competition, but she seemed keen to prove it to him.

"Not really – only that no one has ever beaten me in an archery competition before."

"I'll take your word for it. Where's that library you were talking about, anyways?"

"We'll head there tomorrow, preferably after you take a shower. You smell like a Moblin."

"I can see why Impa likes you, you're a _real_ charmer."

Zelda shrugged. "If no one was going to tell you it might as well be me."

Grudgingly Link showered and changed into clean clothes,glad to wash off all the sand from his body. When he emerged from the bathroom Zelda was watching the TV, which was showing in informercial about tours of Hyrule Castle Skyscraper.

"Who likes castles?" The advertiser asked, twisting his face into a mocking expression. "No one! Who cares about those archaic old rotting structures? Gangstadorf sees the future of Hyrule Castle Town! In with the new, he says! He tore down the castle and replaced it with a shiny, gleaming skyscraper that _you_ can explore! Call now and for fifty-nine rupees you can get your own ticket to the Hyrule Castle Skyscraper tour! But wait, there's more! If you call now we'll double the offer! _Two_ tickets for the same price! What a steal!" Zelda was watching with rapt attention as Link sat on the bed and looked at the map again.

"You're really watching this?" He asked, and Zelda tore her eyes away from the screen.

"I don't know... I thought they might show Impa or something." Link could tell she was lying, but didn't bring it up. After all, Castle Skyscraper was her home, why shouldn't she grow homesick?

"Anything else interesting pop up?"

"Not really. No news about Gangstadorf, either. Strange that we haven't met his little special squadron on our journey, either."

"They're Bokoblins, princess. Their brain cells have to be inserted after birth 'cause they're not born with any. No way they'll find us."

"If Gangstadorf's in charge, then maybe. He has eyes everywhere." Zelda shuddered.

Link estimated the distance from Castle Town to Kasuto Town. "Even if he got news of us, it would take him a while to get here, especially if he's bringing the big guns. For now we're safe. Even so, it would be better if we clear out in a few days, just so we don't start to leave a trace."

"You're getting the hang of this."

"Not too shabby, right?"

Zelda's eyes shone with humor. "We should take up code names, too."

"If you mention calling me Epona one more time..." Link growled, then realized Zelda was joking.

"Your face was priceless!"

The next morning they departed on foot for the Kasuto Town Library. Kasuto was much more tourist-accessible than Crackariko Village, and there were helpful maps placed in every bus station that led to the large library. The building was old and faded, and faint engraved text in the pediment of the structure read _House of Books._

"The House of Books, huh? Who named this place?" Link wondered aloud, and Zelda shushed him. "Come on, we're not even in the library yet." The librarian at the front desk was eager to help them and set Zelda at a table with twenty thick volumes on the topics she had asked about. Link picked up the top one and read the leather cover.

"The Book of Mudora... Sounds like a real thriller."

Zelda tugged it away from him. "That's just a translation book, in case we come across some Ancient Hylian." She pushed a large book over to him and opened it to about the middle. "Here's something on the sacred flames, check it out."

Link skimmed over the text. "The sacred flames purify the sword of the Goddess, imbuing it with the power of the Golden Goddesses. Hey, it mentions the Goddess Longsword here, too! I'm still going with the Goddess Sword, though. Ugh, there's three of them. Do we have to go find all three?"

Zelda nodded slowly and Link groaned. "Great. Just great."

"Here's a passage on the silent realms. They're tests from the Goddesses to see if you're a worthy hero."

"Won't I have the Master Sword by then?" Link glanced down at the book on sacred flames to the portion on the final stage of the sword's upgrading process. _Master Sword_ sounded pretty sweet.

"Well, sure, but they want to double-check, I guess."

"Right. So if I fail I'll just pass along the legacy of the Hero to some other schmuck on the street. I have the Triforce of Courage!"

"You also receive helpful items after completing the silent realms, too."

"I'm game. What kind of items?" Link flipped a few pages in his book and quickly shut the volume when he turned to a page on medieval torture processes.

"It doesn't say here. But they look kind of difficult." Zelda swallowed before continuing. "Your soul is actually separated from your body. You have to navigate the silent realms without help from previously acquired items. You're completely alone."

Link forced himself to stay calm. _This is what you're been working on, finally being able to complete dungeons without help. Besides, you won't try the silent realms until much later. Nothing to worry about yet..._

"No more alone than I've ever been, princess. Move on to a happier topic? Where are we heading next?"

Zelda shook her head, biting at the tip of her pen. "That's what I'm trying to find out. Here it chronicles a lot of the places the old Heroes' weapons were placed after his death, but most of them are different. It's hard to say what's still there, especially with Gangstadorf on the loose. He probably had his goons raid all of the known temples."

"That makes sense." Link looked over her shoulder at the map she was marking. "Look here. Is that where we are now?"

Zelda tapped her pen against the spot. "Kasuto Town, yeah. Why?" Rooting through the piles of books, Link hoisted the _Book of Korodai_ and flipped through a few pages in the front.

"Here – it has Kasuto Town on here too. But check it out! There's a massive temple in the middle of the town. Where could it have gone now?"

"There was a huge earthquake a long, long time ago, they talk about it in one of these books." Zelda gestured to a large pile on the edge of the table. "Maybe it got buried in the wreckage. Besides, none of the other maps have anything unusual for Kasuto Town marked down."

"That's all the grounds we need to check it out. What do you say, princess?"

Zelda frowned, eyes darting back to her maps. "I don't know. There's nothing on any maps we have here. How do you even know where the temple entrance is, _if_ it even exists?"

Link jabbed a thumb back towards the librarian's desk. "For the record, we're earnest young historians searching for a little more action than reading books can get us. We'd like to know where some old temple entrance is. Librarians are all over that kind of stuff."

"How do you know that?" Zelda narrowed her eyes, although Link could tell she was already resigning herself to his plan.

"I don't just sit around in the arena beating people up all day, princess. I have to amuse myself somehow."

"Fine." Zelda gave in, shutting the Book of Mudora and sliding it on top of the map. "I'll bite. Let's go find a temple."

Behind a set of shelves, out of the earshot of both Link and Zelda, a figure stood disguised in the shadows, peering between the spines of the ancient texts at his targets. He raised a radio to his lips and whispered into the receiver.

"Master? They'll be there. Prepare yourself for the battle."

 **OoooOoOOhh, mysterious... *organ chords boom, thunder crackles***

 **Again, sorry for the late update. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! If anyone gets the Book of Korodai reference... I'm so, so sorry. :/**

 **Thankfully, I'm getting a lot of writing done over the break. Still churning out chapters! If I had to estimate I'd say this will amount to maybe a forty chapter book, but I'm not sure yet. We'll see.**

 **I can already tell this is going to be a long author's note (like, really long) so feel free to go about your daily business if you don't want to read it. :)**

 **I've also been reading a lot over the break and have a few great Zelda fanfics you should totally go read, Counting Stars by SausageLink43 and Fracture by Darcie11. Both are excellent and well-written! You should totally go check them out.**

 **Don't forget to review, favorite or follow if you enjoyed. Today's donations go to the victims of the Philips CD-i games, may God rest their souls. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, go look up the Wand of Gamelon. You simultaneously will and won't regret it.)**

 **I guess that's all, not as long of a note as I predicted. Until next time, then!**


	14. Shadows in the Night

**I'm not one for spoilers but AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH.**

 **You'll see when you get there. I'm not going to write any more for this author's note because I want you to READ! (If you can't tell I'm super excited agh.)**

 **(And if you don't remember they were going to go to that ancient temple in the last chapter, and a spy (of sorts) reported their whereabouts. Spooky. Maybe I should put a little preface thing in all of the chapter intros.)**

 **Read on!**

The librarian was more than happy to help them, practically tripping over herself to dig out old diagrams and marking the entrance to the ancient temple on their own town map.

"It's inside of an old apartment building that was built over it, and the owner who found the entrance and lets in visitors all the time. Although, I must warn you, he charges." The librarian's cheeks heated with an angry blush. "I don't see why he tries to make a profit off of such a wonderful ancient relic, but that's his business. The address is here, the building on the corner."

Thanks to Kasuto Town's easily navigable streets they found the apartment building with no problems. Apparently the owner was trying to broadcast his ancient temple entrance, because leaning against the side of the building was a large, flashy sign that advertised the attraction. A few tourists lingered by the sign as if debating whether or not to go in, but eventually just walked past, uninterested.

"Better for us." Zelda whispered. "We don't want any civilians to get involved."

"Involved with what? We're just going to see the temple – it's not like we're sparring with Gangstadorf or anything."

"You're right, what is the purpose of even coming here in the first place?" Zelda crossed her arms, visibly frustrated.

"What was the purpose of going to the Spirit Temple? Just relax, princess. We're about the enter a realm of history..."

"I think the librarian rubbed off on you in a bad way."

The owner of the first-floor apartment was all too eager to let them in. In moments he had directed them to the fireplace, where instead of a normal fireplace there were a set of crumbling descending stairs led into blackness. The man stood expectantly by their side, and Link realized he wanted to be paid. Dropping a few rupees into a collection jar by the side of the fireplace, Link ducked under the fireplace hood and began to climb down the stairs. Zelda's footsteps echoed behind him as they descended into the darkness. Only when they were a safe distance away from the man did Zelda take out her bow and illuminate the shadowy stairwell.

The stairs emptied out into an enormous cavern that took Link's breath away. It was easily the size of the Tokay chamber, if larger, with enormous marble columns shooting up from the ground in orderly rows, sweeping for the sky, an etched and heavily carved ceiling decorated with clouds. Link could see clumps of the carved clouds gathered in the stone ceiling, so ornate they almost looked real.

The marble floor was dusty but still magnificent as Link walked across it, gleaming with the light of Zelda's bow, magnifying the gold a thousand times across the tiles.

An altar stood at the far end of the cavern, but it was the only other decoration besides the columns. Link could see traces of paintings on the stone, but they were chipped away with age and unrecognizable. Zelda followed him to the temple, eyes as wide as saucers.

"Still wondering why we came?" He asked, although the huge temple was much more than he had imagined it to be.

"I will never doubt you again." Zelda muttered, awestruck, but Link knew she would revoke that statement in an instant.

"What do you make of it?" Link gestured around the room, and Zelda gazed at the ceiling.

"It's obviously a temple to Hylia. See the clouds? That's supposed to represent the city in the sky. Look at that one cloud over there, the one with the strange shape? That's the part of the land Hylia sent skyward."

Link stared at the land, the strange curving cloud. "The guys at the pub said something like that... But this is legit. I mean, there's a real temple, there's a real everything. Is there a real city in the sky?" He turned to Zelda. "This is real. It's all real."

Zelda nodded slowly in response, but didn't speak.

Link wandered back to the altar and walked a circle around it. The paintings were less damaged on the back side and he could vaguely see the shape of a harp, and maybe the face of a Bokoblin.

"I guess they were just always ugly." He muttered, then came back around to face Zelda. "Well, what now? Think the goddess will give us some divine wisdom about where we can find our items?"

"I don't thinks so. Besides, this temple hasn't been functional is ages. Who knows if anyone is listening?"

"Oh, someone's listening." A voice echoed across the temple, shaking the marble under Link's boots. The pillars of the temple swayed and quaked, but didn't fall. Zelda ran to Link's side and lifted her bow, pointing it at various areas around the room.

"I get the feeling that wasn't Hylia." Link said, and Zelda nodded quickly.

"Yep, that was _not_ Hylia."

Link stared at the altar, which has changed somehow – the shadows behind it were boiling, twisting and writhing on top of each other. A figure began to emerge from the shadows, first a head, then large, broad shoulders, two enormous swords that could cut a Bullbo in half without a problem, and a sweeping cape pitted with holes. Cruel eyes formed with burning shadows, a sneer etched across a craggy face that Link had cursed since he had learned to speak. He recognized the phantom in an instant: Gangstadorf, the one and only. And he was _here._

 _No goddesses-forsaken way. Gangstadorf is_ here.

Zelda lifter her bow and fired a shot at the phantom Gerudo's forehead, but he batted the shaft away with one of his swords. The edges of his robes and his swords glowed bright blue, scattering an eerie light about the cavern.

"You think your little bow can defeat me?" Gangstadorf boomed, spreading his arms wide. "I appreciate you brought a sacrifice, though." He pointed one of the swords at Link's chest, and Link unsheathed the Goddess Sword in response.

"I'm nobody's sacrifice." He growled, and Gangstadorf let out a booming laugh.

"So fiery! I like that. And the weapon of the Hero, how sweet. I was expecting him to be... Taller."

Link bristled and stepped forward, but Zelda placed a hand across his chest. "Don't."

"Oh, let him, girl!" The Gerudo crowed. "Let's see what the Hero is like this time!"

Link's vision was washed with red, but Zelda kept blocking him. Gangstadorf was just like Grog and the other fighters in the arena, flaunting their victories, showing off that they could succeed. He had taught those fighters a lesson back then, this was no different.

Zelda suddenly whipped out another arrow and shot for the shadow's leg. It was such a swift shot that Link could barely follow the arrow as it rocketed towards Gangstadorf, but he just lowered his sword and the arrow dropped harmlessly off.

"Like fighting children – oh, wait! I am!" Gangstadorf crooned. "Go on, attack me again. You're so precious, I love to watch you think you have a chance to defeat me."

Link's breathing was ragged as he stared up at the shadowy form of the Gerudo. Shoving off Zelda's hand, he took a step forward and readied the Goddess Sword.

"Another plaything. I've been aching for a good fight for ages, Hero. Let's see what you can do."

The first strike was a blur, and Link barely had the time to bring the Goddess sword up to block it. The shock from the swipe shoved the flat of the Goddess Sword back into his stomach, dragging the breath out of him, and he tumbled back a few feet before standing and raising the sword again. _This is just like fighting Aveil. Go on the offensive!_

Link carefully followed Gangstadorf's strike this time, catching the large blade in his own and rolling away, then stabbing at the phantom's arm. He was too slow, though, and the Goddess Sword tore through only the shadowy cloth of his sleeve. This time instead of attacking with his sword Gangstadorf hefted one of his blades over his head. A ball of crackling energy gathered over the sword's tip and he released it with a swipe towards Link's head. Link parried by swiping the Goddess Sword at the ball and it fired back towards Gangstadorf, who swung his sword back again. This time the strike was faster, but Link swung his sword again and the ball of energy collided with phantom Gangstadorf. His dark clothing snapped and crackled with the energy from the attack and he screamed, howling loud enough to make the floor shudder. When the energy had dissipated Link could see the rage in his stance, the pure fire in his shadowed gaze, but he had fire of his own.

"Ping-Pong?" He asked Zelda, and a faint smile lit her face.

"Ping-Pong." She agreed.

Gangstadorf howled again and swung his sword in a ferocious swipe at Link's side, but Link shoved the blade away and stabbed into the phantom's wrist. The other blade came whipping around from the other side and Link jumped to avoid it, then withdrew the Goddess Sword and rolled back to Zelda's side. Black shadowy blood dribbled down the phantom's sleeve, sizzling when it touched the marble floor.

"You'll pay for your insolence! You and your toothpick mean nothing to me!" Gangstadorf screeched, collecting and firing the energy attack at the top of his sword.

"Oh, yeah? Eat voltage!" Link shouted back, swinging the Goddess Sword to send the ball of energy back. The heat from the attack singed his eyebrows, and he could only imagine what it felt like to get hit by that kind of magic. No wonder Gangstadorf was whining.

The energy was fired back and Link readied the Goddess Sword to send it back to the phantom, but before he could he saw one of the dark blades shoot towards Zelda. He was about to shout to alert her but she was too quick, diving to one side as the blade dug into the marble like it was butter. She sent five arrows into that phantom's already wounded arm before he could dig the sword out of the ground and retreat. Link ducked as the energy attack rebounded over his head and fizzled out on the marble floor.

"Fools!" Gangstadorf cried, moving jerkily as he sent another energy attack at Link. This time it only took one round of back-and-forth for Gangstadorf to miss the attack with his sword. The energy spread across his clothes and the phantom writhed and howled, twisting in pain, then gathered himself to attack again.

Zelda regrouped at Link's side and raised her bow. "It should only take one more attack to do him in. Keep going!"

"Don't worry, princess, Ping-Pong is my specialty."

"Do you honestly think you can defeat _me?_ True leader of the Gerudo, mayor of Castle Town, King of Thieves? I am the Demon Lord! I can crush you like a bug!"

"I mean, I'm no expert, but I'd say the one getting crushed like a bug is _you."_ Link retaliated, and the phantom seethed and hissed.

"You need to be taught a lesson, insolent Hero. You and all your kind!" The shadows burbled and wavered as the phantom raised its sword and stabbed at not Link, but Zelda.

Alarm shot thought Link like a quiver full of arrows – Zelda couldn't block the swipe with her bow. Leaping forward, Link prepared to block the strike himself, and that was his first mistake. He didn't even notice the second sword swinging down towards him.

Agony ruptured up Link's leg and he hollered in pain, collapsing to the ground as Gangstadorf's sword cut across his calf. For minutes all he could see was blackness and red-tipped stars, moaning on the marble floor of the temple, Zelda's screams tinny and distant in his hears. He barely heard the twang of her bowstring, but it was lost in the sea of pain racking his entire body. A sharp laugh split through the haze and Link raised his head from the cool stone, squinting through the white fog that covered his vision.

Zelda was kneeling over him, tearing arrows out at sending them at Gangstadorf as fast as she possibly could, but he was batting them away like pesky flies. _She was protecting him._ He couldn't just lay there and let her be hurt, too. He was the _Hero,_ for Nayru's sake, and he was letting the princess endanger herself for him. _You are the Hero. Act like it!_

A burning sensation flared across his left hand, but he ignored it and pushed himself up from the ground, his injured calf screaming in protest. Zelda gaped at him as he stood, leaning heavily on his right leg, and raised the Goddess Sword. For a second Gangstadorf froze, tilting his head to the side as if sizing Link up, them let out another guffawing laugh.

"I'll give you this, kid, you're got spunk. Fire. I like that. Won't do you and your girlfriend any good, though."

Link almost expected Zelda to correct him, but remembered they were locked in a battle to the death.

 _One more volley. That will do him in._ Link's hands were trembling and his head was spinning, but he planted his feet and waited for Gangstadorf's strike. The burning in his hand became more evident as the pain in his leg slowly faded away, replaced with adrenaline. He was going to take the phantom down.

"Batter up!" Gangstadorf cackled, then sent another energy ball at Link. The sword swipe to knock it back almost took all of Link's strength and his leg twisted tortuously, yet he was still standing. The phantom's next strike was vehement and powerful, and Link tightened his grip on the Goddess Sword, channeling his anger and his pain, and struck ferociously back. Gangstadorf didn't even have time to react before the spinning ball of energy collided with his chest.

An ear-splitting shriek filled the room as Gangstadorf screeched, limbs jerking and flailing as the energy worked its way up his body and crackled across his shadowy skin. The air was charged with it and Link could smell the sharp tang of ozone in the air as the phantom began to dissolve back into a puddle of shadow, shouting unintelligibly as it did so, the words slurring as it dripped into nothingness. Gangstadorf was gone; the only thing that remained was the shadow behind the altar.

The Goddess Sword fell to the ground with a clatter and Link collapsed to his knees, tears of pain prickling at his eyes, and Zelda dashed to his side. The energy of the battle was fading and Link could feel the full assault of his injuries as they waged war on his body, waves of agony threatening to drown him. Zelda's voice echoed above his head somewhere, but it was dissolving with the shadows. Link's eyelids fluttered and he begged for unconsciousness...

"Get yourself together!" Zelda shouted, and Link jumped with surprise, then groaned as it sent jolts of molten-hot steel up his leg. "Stay with me."

"I thought you'd never ask." Link muttered, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the ceiling. "How bad is it?"

Zelda faltered as she glanced down at his shredded pant leg, then fumbled to reply. "It's f-fine, you're just being a wimp. Come on, we're going to have to clean it."

Link moaned and rolled over onto his side. "That's the part in movies where they dump alcohol on the wound, right?"

"In our case, Chateau Romani." Zelda waved the bottle at him and Link managed a smile.

"Will there be any left to drink?" He laughed, then yelped as his calf flared with pain.

"I don't know, okay?" Zelda snapped, and the agitation in her voice seemed almost as sharp as Gangstadorf's sword. Link closed his mouth quickly and Zelda took a step back, running her hands through her hair and breathing heavily.

"Hey princess, you okay?" Link asked, and Zelda let out a short barking laugh.

"Am _I_ okay? You're the one who got stabbed by a phantom and you're asking if I'm okay?"

"That's what Heroes are for, you know that. Are you okay?"

Zelda sat on the floor cross-legged and tugged at her hair. "No, I'm not okay. You've just been –" Her eyes flickered back to his leg – " _Injured,_ and I have no idea how to help. Gangstadorf was here, Link! How did he know we would come here?"

"Lucky guess?" Link asked, biting his lip. His hands were beginning to shake again and he clenched them into fists, fighting off the pain.

"He has spies, we know that, but even _here?_ Kasuto Town is a long way from Castle Town. Have his agents been tailing us? And because I didn't realize that this happened to you. This is my fault."

As easy as it would to be to laugh it off or make a joke about it truly being her fault, Link realized that Zelda was dead serious. "It was my fault, princess. I thought you would get gored through by that sword, so I was going to block it for you. I dunno what I was thinking – I mean, you can dodge just fine, right? Guess I was just playing the Hero."

Zelda nodded slowly, then picked up the bottle of Chateau Romani. "Okay, let's get this over with."

Link sucked in a breath, hoping he could distract her a little longer and avoid the oncoming pain. "Listen, Zelda, are you sure about this? I mean, one hundred percent sure? Because, you know, it would be an awful shame if you dumped poison into my bloodstream or something like that. Did Impa teach you about standard medicine? I am the only Hero you've got, you know. Just in case, just reminding you. Maybe Gangstadorf somehow twisted this so that you would be forced to do this and he poisoned the bottle when we weren't looking. Or maybe..."

"You're stalling." Zelda whispered, leaning over him with the bottle in hand.

"Sure, maybe. It's just –"

Smiling slightly, Zelda leaned in closer and pressed her lips against his.

Link was so surprised at first he didn't even react, then kissed her back, and in that kiss he could sense every emotion behind those blue eyes – fire and passion, burning and smoking with heat that lit her face in a blush, and a chilling loneliness that filled her heart, sorrow and loss and _hope,_ hope in a Hero she had met only days ago. He wanted her to know him in his kisses back, the worry, loneliness to match her own, that he wasn't good enough to fill the ancient Hero's shoes. The agony of a sword wound that seemed to be dimming with each kiss.

The friendship with a princess that was maybe something a little bit more.

He could feel her slowly pouring the Chateau Romani onto the sword gash, and the spikes of pain that crackled through his body caused him to gasp for breath. He reached up and gripped Zelda's shoulders, then one hand tangled in her short hair, sweet-smelling even after their long, arduous journey. Some part of him wondered what _he_ smelled like, probably horrible. Zelda didn't seem to mind, though.

At last the bottle of Chateau Romani was emptied and Zelda pulled away, eyes that same ocean of mystery he just had a single glimpse into, that burning passion, that sorrow, and then she sat back on her heels, observing her work. She undid the swath of fabric around her waist and tied it tightly around his calf, not meeting his eyes as she wrapped his leg and tied off the knot. She placed the now-empty bottle into her magic pouch and held out a hand to help Link up.

Still slightly woozy from the pain and the kiss, Link took her hand and dragged himself up, breathing sharply as a thousand needles prickled across his leg. Zelda held out the Goddess Sword and he carefully sheathed it, then leaned on Zelda's shoulder and limped for the exit of the temple. He saw Zelda place a second item in her pouch out of the corner of his eye but ignored it, the kiss running over in his mind on an endless loop.

"You know it was just to keep you quiet, right?" Zelda suddenly blurted out, a little too loudly. She was blushing even more now, an angry red that made her eyes shine like twin sapphires.

"What?"

"The kiss. It was just to keep you quiet so I could treat your leg."

He glanced at her and smiled a roguish grin. "Sure, princess."

Which, of course, only made her blush more.

 **Favorites/Follows/Reviews go to the Should I Put More Zelink Into This Story Foundation. I am actually curious to see how you want this relationship/friendship/confusing mess to turn out, so feel free to drop in your opinion! Can't wait to see what you think.**

 **As for news, meh. There's not much to say, although I did get a lot of writing done over the break. Hopefully this story won't catch up to updates! And if you want to read TTC and like film noir, go check out my private eye spoof, it's pretty great. But maybe I'm biased.**

 **Since author's notes are supposed to be short, as I have been informed, sayonara for now. Thanks so much for reading, and *hugs*!**

 **Until next time!**


	15. Unrest From Within

**Since I have Good Friday off (yessss) we get an early update. Way early. But hey, that's good, right? (yessss)**

 **Anyways, let's get into the chapter. We left off with our hero gravely wounded (dun dun dunnnn) and the threat of Gangstadorf looming above them. Okay, maybe not so melodramatic, but it sounded pretty cool. Like, _Previously on spade-of-hearts' Remnants..._**

 **And I keep getting distracted. Read on!**

The man in the apartment's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw Link and Zelda hobbling out of the temple. Zelda smiled winningly and waved her hand at him with an air of dismissal.

"It's nothing!" She simpered. "Epona just tripped on the way down the stairs and twisted his ankle. No big deal."

Link grittted his teeth but forced himself to stay quiet until they had reached the street before venting. "Epona, again? I swear to Hylia, if you call me Epona one more time..."

"No time for that." Zelda silenced him and pointed down the road. "Come on, we had better get back to the apartment. I can order some red potion from room service and we'll get you some clean pants."

"Let's go, then." Link replied, head spinning as he stumbled down the sidewalk, leaning against Zelda's shoulder. No one really bothered them as they clumsily staggered back to the hotel, but Link knew it was too good to be true. As they passed an alley between two apartment buildings a faint snarling drew his attention.

Zelda heard the sound, too, and her head snapped up. "Run." She whispered, and Link was about to tell her that it would be very difficult to do so when a lone Bokoblin lurched out of the alley and grabbed Zelda's arm, dragging her back into the darkness.

Link stumbled to his knees and gasped, blinking the haze of pain out of his vision, then jumped up and hobbled into the alley, drawing the Goddess Sword. The blade cast a glow around him and he could see large trash containers piled with scrap, the sides of the buildings...

And bright, beady eyes gleaming back at him.

The first Bokoblin came out again, holding a crossbow at Zelda's head and grunting. Link got the idea quickly and dropped the sword at the Bokoblin's feet, then leaned against one of trash containers for support. It would be very un-heroic if he puked at the feet of Zelda's captor.

Cued by another series of grunts, five more Bokoblins crept out of the shadows and stood in a semicircle behind Zelda and the crossbow-wielding Bokoblin. Each looked as ugly and stupid as the next, and Link noticed something about them – a single red-painted skull dangling from their belt.

So Gangstadorf's Bokoblin gangs had found them.

Link had dealt with Bokoblins before, but never had to kill them. Besides, this was a basic negotiation tactic. He would have to give the Bokoblin what he wanted in order to let Zelda free. And he had been stupid enough to show them the Goddess Sword.

"What do you want?" Link asked, keeping his voice calm and neutral. The Bokoblin tightened its grip on Zelda and waved the crossbow at her head. Link threw his arms in the air in a sign of peace and Bokoblin seemed to settle down, then pointed the weapon at the Goddess Sword.

Link stared into its beady black eyes and pointed at the sword. "You want it?" The Bokoblin snuffled and nodded its head up and down. Zelda shouted from behind her gag and the Bokoblins behind her screeched, filling the alley with a deafening clamor.

"Okay, okay!" Link started walking towards the Bokoblin, but it didn't react. Moving slowly, Link crouched down and raised the sword, then offered it to the lead Bokoblin. "You want the sword? Take it."

Zelda let out another muffled shout, but the Bokoblin was too transfixed by the gleaming sword to notice. It was so distracted that it didn't notice when Link slashed forward with the weapon and cut across the its throat.

For one eerie moment the monster remained standing, swaying on its feet in its death agony, then collapsed to the ground without another sound. The other Bokoblins were frozen as well, shocked by the sudden loss of their leader.

Until they drew their weapons, that is.

"All right. You want a piece of this?" Link waved the Goddess Sword threateningly at them and the monsters backed up a step, suddenly wary. Link sized up their firepower – two swords, two with shields and daggers, and one, oddly enough, with a slingshot. _Whatever floats your boat..._

Zelda was freed now too, so she twisted and drew her bow. The glowing weapon blinded the Bokoblins for a moment and Link was able to jump forward and stab the Goddess Sword through one of the Bokoblins with shields. The monsters overcame their surprise in moments, thought, and they eyed their targets with renewed interest. A malicious sneer twisted their already hideously ugly faces.

Link was prepared for the next attack, balancing himself evenly as the shield-and-dagger Bokoblin lunged forward and slashed its knife towards him. The wound in his leg seemed almost to be fading and was replaced with sheer adrenaline, the speed of the fight. Zelda's bowstring twanged as the sent an arrow into the forehead of the slingshot Bokoblin, which was almost unfortunate. Link had taken a shine to the little guy.

The shield Bokoblin wasn't done, though, and he battered Link back with his shield, then swung his dagger above Link's head, forcing him to duck. Link kicked out with his good leg and sent the monster sprawling, then sent the Goddess Sword through its innards. He turned to see Zelda facing off with the two sword Bokoblins. Both had arms and legs peppered with arrows but were still putting up a fair fight. Zelda's eyes were slightly panicked as she backed up against the trash containers. Link started to creep up behind them when another force shoved him to the ground and kicked him against the wall. He was almost too startled to even feel the force of the blow and scrambled unsteadily to his feet, then almost wished he hadn't.

A massive Moblin stood before him, heavily muscled and holding a massive spear that could skewer him in an instant clutched in a meaty fist. The beast was almost two times as tall as he was and much stronger, trained in combat for Gangstadorf's armies. Plates of armor and spikes guarded its body and gleaming eyes peered from behind its helmet, sizing Link up as a threat.

Link was still staring when Zelda sent an arrow straight into the Moblin's neck. The beast flinched ever so slightly, then raised one massive hand up and yanked the shaft out like it was a pesky splinter.

"We're doomed." Link muttered, and the Moblin let out a roaring laugh, then readied its spear.

He was preparing to become a Link-kebab when someone screamed, "Get down!" Link dropped to the ground without question and covered his head with his hands as a massive explosion rocked the alleyway. Brilliant light seared at his eyelids and he yelped as someone grabbed his arm and forced him up, then started sprinting out of the alleyway. Link's wounded leg screamed in protest but sheer desperation forced him through the pain. Besides, he was all too happy to leave that Moblin behind.

When they were a safe distance away from the monsters their savior began to slow and pulled them into another alley, notably better-lit and less shady than the first. It took Link a moment to realize the person who had dragged him out of the fight was a girl.

She was dressed in dark clothes and had her long, dark hair pinned back in two long braids. Her ebony eyes were serious as she glanced around at their surroundings, and Link noticed a multitude of small shapes clipped to her belt that looked suspiciously like grenades.

"Thank you for rescuing us," Zelda gasped at the stranger, ever polite, "I don't think we would have gotten out of there alive."

"Filthy beasts. Naryu knows why they suddenly appeared here. Kasuto has been relatively safe from Gangstadorf for a long time, and then suddenly they start prowling the alleyways." The girl spat, glaring back the way that they had come.

"Is that why you go around bombing them?" Link asked, slouching against the wall and catching his breath.

"What, back there? That was just a flash-bang, I needed a distraction. Can't have innocent citizens getting mugged. But you're not just an innocent citizen, are you?" The girl's lips turned into a smile and she nodded at Zelda. "Princess."

"How do you know that?" Zelda asked, her tone accusatory. "And who exactly are you, anyways?"

"That's the question of the hour." Link grumbled, and the strange girl smirked at him unkindly.

"Like you're in the position to talk. What mauled your leg?"

Link fixed his eyes on the sky, hoping the girl was exaggerating when she said _mauled._ "None of your business, stranger. Why are you going around saving people?"

"And that's none of your business." The girl shot back, and Link smiled. A battle of words, that he could handle. Zelda interjected before the girl could reply.

"Listen, thank you so much for saving us back there. How can we thank you?"

The girl's eyes narrowed and her smirk grew deeper. Link was tempted to throw the Goddess Sword at Zelda before she said any other stupid things to this girl. _Never offer a streetkid anything, ever. And never try to bargain with them!_

"Well now, if you're offering..." She trailed off, then walked a slow circle around Zelda as if examining her. "What's in that pretty little pouch of yours?"

Zelda seemed to realize she had made a mistake, but she opened the pouch and showed the girl her map. The sight of the magic made the girl's eyes bug out, but Zelda didn't show her the golden bow or their meager savings. A smart move, but one that could have been avoided.

"All you've got is some paper?" The girl asked, chewing on the end of her braid. Zelda nodded sharply. "Okay, give me the pouch and we've got a deal."

"I'm not bargaining it." Zelda insisted, and girl's eyes turned sharp and cruel, but Link could see another emotion hidden behind them. _Desperation._ The girl needed something badly, and she was willing to do anything to get it. She took a few steps toward Link, clucking her tongue sadly.

"You really should take better care of your boyfriends, blondie. That looks like it hurts an awful lot." The girl leaned in close to Link, her foul breath teasing his hair. "I have here a Red Potion, you can't buy the likes of them here. It'll fix you up in no time, and if the Bokoblins are after you you'll need to make a quick escape. They have your scent now."

"It's not up for trade." Zelda insisted, and the girl's eyes turned positively murderous, fear washing over her features. Link's hand twitched towards the Goddess Sword before he realized what he was doing. This was the look of monsters corrupted by Gangstadorf, not a teenage girl.

"Wrong answer, blondie." The girl sneered, then swung her leg back and kicked Link as hard as she could in his wounded leg.

The pain was almost worse that when he had gotten the injury itself, so intense he went lightheaded and faint, collapsing against the stones of the alleyway, fireworks burning their way through his body. His head throbbed as Zelda shrieked and the girl cackled. Once he could think coherently again anger washed over the pain. With trembling arms he forced himself up to his knees just in time to see Zelda punch the girl in the face.

And oh, what a punch it was. A tooth flew out of the strange girl's mouth and pinged against a trash bin. The girl looked like she had been run over with a truck, trying in vain to stay on her feet before her knees gave out and she collapsed into a pile of trash bags. Link could see her eyes cross and uncross as she tried to look up at Zelda above her, head wobbling on her neck.

"How about that Red Potion?" Zelda asked, whipping out her bow and pointing an arrow at the girl's forehead. With a gulp the girl fumbled around in her pockets and rolled the bottle at Zelda.

"Is that what you do? Save people from the gangs and mug them?" Link demanded.

"It worked before..." The girl muttered. Link wanted nothing more than to give the girl a kick in return, but her comment on the Bokoblins having their scent was unnerving. They needed to leave Kasuto Town, and fast.

"She's not worth it, Zelda." She was still glowering down at the girl and Link could tell she wanted revenge almost as much as he did, but they needed to move.

"Fine." She huffed, then slid her bow back into her pouch. "Get out of here."

The girl scrambled to her feet, licking her bloodied lips, then had the gall to smile at Zelda. "You're tough, blondie. The Resistance could use the likes of you."

And before Zelda could even gasp she was gone, sprinting out of the alleyway and out of sight.

"Did she just...?" She asked, and Link nodded.

"Yep."

"I can't believe it." Zelda pressed her hands to her temples. "The Resistance is real? You know what this means, don't you?"

"Well, they were kind enough to give us a Red Potion." Link pointed out, and Zelda immediately handed it to him.

"I'm such an idiot! I'm so sorry, Link, when she kicked you..." She trailed off and Link shook his head, unstopping the bottle.

"It's fine. Besides, I'll be okay in a sec." Link leaned his head back and swallowed the contents of the bottle in one gulp. The taste was reviling and he almost spit it back out, but forced himself to swallow as the disgusting mixture went down. Zelda must have noticed his sickened expression but said nothing, staring at his leg expectantly.

"Well?"

Hesitantly Link flexed his leg, then gaped at it as the deep gash closed before his eyes. The area around the injury was still stiff, but the pain was completely gone.

"The Resistance doesn't mess around."

"No kidding. I guess it's lucky she had a Red Potion on hand..." Zelda trailed off, eyeing the bottle suspiciously.

"What, you think she had one more trick up her sleeve? Believe me, if that bottle was poisoned, I'd be dead already." Link reassured her, carefully putting weight on his previously-wounded leg.

"How do you know that?"

"You just tried to strike a deal with a desperate streetkid, princess. If she wanted to rob us the poison would be fast-acting, so she could get rid of us quick and empty our pockets.."

Zelda shuddered, as if she could vividly imagine Link collapsing dead at her feet. "That's horrible."

"Just business, princess." Link shrugged, picking up the Goddess Sword and sheathing it.

"Did you hear when she said the Bokoblins have our scent?"

"Sure did. I guess we'd better get out of town."

Zelda glanced at the walls of the alley with something close to fondness. "I know this is going to sound dumb, but I'm going to miss Kasuto. It's not as run-down as Castle Town or Crackariko Village."

"Yeah – demon temples, monster gangs, orphans with grenades, I can see why you'd want to come back." Link pointed out, and Zelda shook her head.

"Whatever, _Hero._ Next time don't get stabbed so you can actually do your job, okay?"

It was a joke, but Link felt a sudden onslaught of shame. He had failed Zelda _again._ First the desert and now this... And here he was, calling himself a Hero.

"Hey, don't look so down. We'll be out of Kasuto in no time."

"Okay, but where are we headed next? How do you know where the next sacred flame is?"

Zelda's brow furrowed with confusion and she reached for her pouch. "I didn't show you?" She asked, and Link shook his head. "Check it out. It's a map, it appeared after we defeated Gangstadorf in the temple."

"A gift from the goddesses?" Link asked, peering down at the new map. It was much fancier than Zelda's with gold leaf and rich paints in bright colors clearly marking locations, and it was in a language he could read, which was a welcome commodity.

"That's my best guess; it was Hylia's temple. Anyways, check it out. Here are all of the sacred flame locations, marked out already! Pretty good, right?"

"If it means avoiding more boring libraries, I'm willing to approve of it." Link imitated a stuffy accent and Zelda laughed.

"Here's the next location for the sacred flame – the Kokiri Forest." She pointed to an area on the map dappled with emerald green and gold. "The sacred flame of Nayru. And it's not too far from where we are now."

"The sooner we head out, the better. Knowing Gangstadorf, he'll have thousands of Moblins on us if we stay here another day." Link shifted from foot to foot, ready to move.

"Do you think we should go?" Zelda suddenly blurted out, and Link saw a flash of fear behind her eyes.

"How do you mean?" He asked.

"The map appeared after we defeated Gangstadorf. Do you think he set it there for us as a trap? And what that girl said about the Resistance... Maybe we should go to Clock Town." She chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

"I think it's a safe bet for the flame. Besides, we've gotten stuff from defeating the forces of evil before. What makes this one suddenly corrupted?" Link prodded the paper with the tip of the Goddess Sword. "Maybe it's enchanted." He stage-whispered and Zelda shoved the sword away.

"Fine, you win. Next stop, Kokiri Forest."

 **It's the Epona joke that will never end!**

 **Today's donations go to Make-a-Moblin's Wish Foundation, where misunderstood Moblins can have the dearest desires of their hearts granted (exceptions include obtaining of the Triforce, weapons, rupees, seats of power, etc.) Have a heart and drop in a review, favorite or follow!**

 **Any guesses on what the Kokiri Forest will be like? The temple, the bosses? Drop them into your review!**

 **And the Resistance? *gasps* Things are becoming a little more complicated...**

 **Since author's notes are supposed to be short I guess we'll conclude this chapter. As news goes, I'm planning to write an installment for TTC based on Edge of Tomorrow (the movie) and I'm super excited for it. End news.**

 **Until next time! Stay awesome.**


	16. Roots and Snarls

**Happy Friday, all! And welcome back to another chapter of Remnants. (Team Remnants is tied with Team TTC 2-2. Just a heads-up.)**

 **There's not much else to say here, so read on!**

After collecting their belongings from the hotel room, Link dragged Zelda to an E-Mart across the street and stood her in front of the collection of cell phones.

"Pick which one you want." He urged, and the manager of the store, a heavily muscled Hinox, came over to facilitate the exchange.

"Ah, cell phones. Does the pretty lady like?" It asked in rough Hylian, and Zelda nodded absently, eyeing the display. "We have the best cell phones from across the realm!" The Hinox affirmed, gesturing to the fancier selections that probably cost twenty thousand rupees.

"How about this one?" Zelda pointed to a small, compact phone with a single button and a speaker. Link winced and the Hinox's energy faded in an instant.

"Those are walkie-talkies! The finest walkie-talkies you'd ever..."

Zelda interrupted him by taking out her wallet. "We'll take the set."

Minutes later they were walking out of the E-Mart and Link was castigating Zelda over her choice in cell phones.

"You could have picked any of those and you chose the _walkie-talkies?"_ He asked disbelievingly, and Zelda glanced at the device clipped to her belt with fondness.

"I think they have charm to them. Besides, we don't have to worry about signal or anything, or that anyone had tapped into our line."

Although this made fair sense, Link wasn't willing to let the issue go. "But you could have had any of those!"

"So?" Zelda asked, rolling her eyes. "Honestly, Link, it's not like it matters. They would probably break whenever we got into a fight, anyways."

Which, unfortunately, also made sense. Unwillingly Link let the issue drop.

He couldn't drive out of Kasuto Town fast enough.

The Interstate, otherwise known as Maku Road, was blissfully traffic-free as Link and Zelda cruised along, dodging rickety horse-drawn carriages, a few sports cars, and strangely enough, a boat. Zelda seemed to gape as they passed the red carved figurehead shaped like a realistic lion, gliding through the asphalt like it was water, but Link dismissed it quickly. He had seen stranger things in Castle Town, although he did do a double-take when the figurehead _winked._

Pausing for a pit stop, Link pulled Epona to the side of the road and stretched his legs while Zelda poured over their new map. It was already getting the same treatment the other map had, covered in cramped print as she scrawled notes in the margin and circled locations. Link wandered over to her side and saw as she tapped the Kokiri Forest.

"This is the location of the next sacred flame," She explained, and Link squinted to see a tiny golden 'x' deep in the emerald-painted forest.

"That looks kind of far, and I don't think they have highways in the Kokiri Forest." Link noted, and Zelda frowned.

"You're right. I guess we're roughing it again."

"Whee, roughing it. My absolute favorite. Not like we got caught in a sandstorm last time or anything. But hey, at least we have walkie-talkies now!" He forced brightness into his voice and Zelda rolled her eyes.

"That's right. Triforce of Wisdom to Epona, come in, Epona! Over."

Link threw his hands into the air. "That's it, I quit! Epona –" He pointed dramatically to the motorcycle – "Is the bike!"

Zelda smirked as she folded up the map and placed it in her pouch. _She is not going to let me hear the end of this, is she?_

They drove in silence until Link turned back to Zelda to make sure she hadn't fallen off. Usually she was a bit more chatty than this, and he could use someone to talk to, especially now.

"Thinking about something?" He yelled over his shoulder, and Zelda looked up sharply, surprised. Her blue eyes were stormy, an expression he had gotten used to by now. She was determined.

"I was thinking about what Gangstadorf was saying to us when we fought him. He was so _arrogant._ "

"Yeah, before I got stabbed." Link winced, recalling the sword swipe burning across his leg like hot coals.

"How did he know we were going to be there? You saw when the phantom was formed, right?" Her voice was quiet over the rush of the wind, but Link was hanging on to every word.

"It was from the shadows behind the altar. Why, does it matter?"

"I've studied a little magic with Impa, but I can only do the practical stuff, like refilling my quiver. She – Impa, I mean – touched on some summoning magic, and it's supposed to be incredibly difficult to summon phantom forms."

Link felt a small shiver run down his spine. "Phantom forms? Sounds delightful."

"Not really. Phantom forms can be anything like what Gangstadorf did – where it was a replica of him, just in a different location, or they can be reflections of you."

"Wait, what? Reflections?"

Zelda's voice quieted again, and Link had to strain to hear her. "It's some seriously dark magic, Impa didn't even want to tell me about it. The spell takes every flaw from a person and creates a form of the victim that attacks their worst fears, their weaknesses. Say you're really prideful, the spell will feed off of that, show you how weak you are in the face of your greatest enemy – yourself."

"Delightful." Link repeated, suddenly nervous. _Attacking your worst fears..._

"Anyways, Impa told me that for the phantom spell to work you have to know the location where you want to cast it, and the time you want it to appear. Magic like that is incredibly draining, it could kill you if you keep it up for too long, or before your phantom dissipates. So he couldn't have just had that phantom sitting around waiting for some poor schmuck to stumble along into the temple. He knew we were coming."

"So what does that tell us?" Link asked, peeking into the rearview mirrors. He knew it was paranoid, but if Gangstadorf knew they were going into the temple, he could have tabs on them wherever they went. Besides, this whole phantom stuff was starting to creep him out.

"Well, we knew Gangstadorf has sources everywhere. I guess we were just lucky he didn't catch up to us until now."

"And the Bokoblins are onto us, too." Link noted. Just another factor to add to the 'Let's See How Much Being A Hero Sucks' List. It was starting to get pretty long.

"We'd better find those sacred flames fast." Zelda said simply, which, coming from her, pretty much meant _gun the engine!_

"At least tell me something positive about all of this." Link groaned.

"The Kokiri Forest is almost completely uninhabited, from what Gangstadorf knows. Besides the edges, with the logging crews and all, practically no one lives there."

Link knew that tone and a small smile crept across his face. "Oh, practically? From what _Gangstadorf_ knows?"

He could almost feel her smile burning into the back of his head. "I've done my research. There's dozens of forest populations and species that inhabit the woods. It's one of the rare places Gangstadorf hasn't touched, like the desert, so they live in relative safety."

Link almost let out a breath of relief – almost. "Safety. That's a word you don't hear every day, but I'm glad to hear it all the same."

The Maku Road darted by, cracked and pitted with potholes from age, but Link didn't mind. It was much better than riding over Hyrule Field by a long shot. Even though the road was grungy and half of the drivers didn't even know what side to drive on it beat traveling by foot any day. Finally Zelda gestured for him to pull over and he dragged Epona to the treeline, peering through the trunks into the forest.

Trees clawed their way out of the mossy earth and spread their tendrils of roots across the ground, snarling with each other and tearing through boulders or rocks in their way. Link saw lichen crawl up the twisted trees and vines hung from the boughs, dappling the forest in streaks of dark green. Collapsed logs and torn-up trees leaned against each other and trickles of soil fell from the uprooted plants. Shadows layered upon shadows, casting deep darkness into the depths of the forest. The leaves of the trees were stilled by a faint breeze, almost like the forest was _breathing._

Like it had a beating heart.

Link tugged Epona to safety behind a tree where the lowlife thieves wouldn't find it as Zelda pulled out the old flashlights from the Spirit Temple and handed one to him. Suddenly walkie-talkies seemed like a very good idea as Link risked a glance back into the forest; it would be almost effortlessly easy to get lost in there. Zelda caught his eye and smiled.

"They didn't nickname it the Lost Woods for nothing." She said, reading his expression.

"No kidding, princess." Link blew out a breath, shining his flashlight beam into the depths of the woods. The single beam of light was dwarfed by the sheer immensity of the trees, barely casting a glow through the thick, drowning shadows.

 _Seriously dark magic... Preys off of your flaws..._

 _Get a grip, loser. It's just a forest. You've faced freaking Gangstadorf. Mother Nature is a walk in the park compared to that... No pun intended._

"Ready?" Zelda asked, pulling out her bow.

"Ready." Link replied, and together they dove into the woods.

Forget Gangstadorf. Gangstadorf had nothing on Mother Nature.

Link learned in about two minutes how horrible a couple of trees and some stray roots could really be. Every time he thought he had his footing and could carry on another root would jut out of nowhere and send him sprawling. The vines hung from the low-hanging branches and seemed to only multiply when he cut the Master Sword through them like a machete, and to top things off it it was so dark he could barely see a foot in front of him.

Zelda, per the norm, had no trouble running around the woods like some fleet-footed woodland creature, and suddenly he was the bumbling Hero again, wandering along like the princess' hired muscle. Whatever training Impa had given her must have implanted some eerily accurate compass or something in her brain, because she always knew _exactly_ where they had to go, even if they were just an inch off-course. And then there was Link, batting away vines and looking like a certified idiot. Perfect.

Another unnerving thing about the woods was the quiet. There was the low buzz of insects and rustling of tree leaves in the background, but Link had grown up on the busy streets of Hyrule, with honking car horns and peddlers and the sounds of people overflowing the walls of the city. Here in the woods, however, they were totally alone. The constant hum of life was gone, replaced with trees and silence, and Link felt strangely exposed without it.

"So what do we know about this sacred flame location?" Link asked, his voice too loud in the silence of the woods.

"Nothing, actually. We only have the location to go by. It's pretty deep into the woods, so we don't have to worry about Gangstadorf."

Link was about to say that he would prefer the Gerudo mayor to tripping over tree roots all day, then remembered last time he had met Gangstadorf the Gerudo had stabbed him. So maybe Mother Nature wasn't _too_ bad after all.

They paused when a they reached an enormous river that blocked the path on to the sacred flame. In seconds it became obvious there was no swimming across – the water rushed by at breakneck speed, tossed into rolling foam as it coursed downstream, and Link watched a a log fell off of a bank and raced down the stream almost faster than he could blink. He and Zelda would be swept away in seconds.

"Another trial for the Hero?" He asked, touching the tip of his boot into the water.

"First the River of Sand, and now a legitimate river? I'll give the goddesses points for consistency." Zelda crossed her arms and Link stared at her, grinning.

"Do my ears deceive me? Was Zelda just _sarcastic?"_ He feigned surprise. "I thought this day would never come..."

"Knock it off, we need to figure out how to get across this thing." Zelda replied, suddenly serious.

"I've got an idea. Tie a rope to the end of one of your arrows, then shoot it across the river and into one of those trees. We'll walk across like a tightrope."

"That is the single most stupid plan I have ever heard." Zelda shook her head, although she did take her bow out of her magic pouch. It was a start.

"Since when have any of my plans ever worked?" Link admitted. "I did see it in a movie once, though. It was pretty epic, although I guess he did end up falling in... But it was cool."

Zelda began to pace on the riverbank, hands clasped behind her back. "Cool isn't going to get us anywhere. We need a real plan. Take inventory of your situation," She said, almost to herself. "Okay. Swimming is out of the option, the current is too fast. We have the trees, which we could use."

Sudden inspiration stuck Link and he withdrew the Goddess Sword from its sheath. Searching for the largest and tallest tree by the bank, he saw a precariously leaning one with half of its roots dug out of the earth, snarled in thin air. He raised the Goddess Sword high and swung it down with all of his might. The sword passed straight through the tree trunk like butter, and with an ear-shattering groan it toppled and crashed across the river, stretching to the opposite bank, the perfect makeshift bridge.

Zelda ran to the tree and gave Link a sidelong glance of praise. "How did you think of that?" She asked, eyes following the path of the tree across to the other side of the rushing river.

"Obviously my utterly brilliant intellect." Link tapped a finger to his temple.

"You saw it in a movie, didn't you."

"Yeah. Ladies first." Link gestured to the log and Zelda smiled slyly.

"I don't think so, Hero. Why don't you lead the way?"

Link clambered onto the log on hands and knees, slowly shuffling across the raging depths of the river, clutching the bark of the trunk with all of his strength. It would be both unfortunate and painful to fall off, and Zelda would probably tease him about it for the rest of his life, assuming he lived. All of this was motive enough to keep him intensely focused on staying alive until he reached the opposite bank and quickly jumped off, glad to finally be on solid ground again. The journey seemed to last hours, but Zelda crossed in mere seconds.

"Onward?" She asked, not waiting for him to reply before she dove back into the woods again.

After only another mile of slow hiking through the depths of the Kokiri Forest did the structure finally emerge from the foliage. When Link stepped into the clearing his breath was stolen from him at the gargantuan size of the building and the beauty of the scene.

It was built into a cliff face, the rough-hewn stone a sharp contrast to the faded marble of the columns that shot towards the sky, touching the clouds. Trees and moss leaned across the facade and ivy dripped from the columns like waterfalls, speckling the white with patches of green. On top of the cliff sat the main structure of the temple, a collection of marble buildings, sloping roofs, carved projections and embellishments worn from the test of time. Flowers and grasses flourished along the roofs and peeked from windows that were so small from Link's vantage point he could barely make them out. Dried roots laced across the stone and added to the weathered feel of the whole scene, a temple lost in the clutches of time.

Link scrambled up to the top of a boulder nearby to get a better look at the temple, the massive columns and strange handful of buildings clustered on the top of the cliff. Golden light fell across the entrance of the temple and in an instant Link knew he was somewhere sacred. Somewhere holy.

"Welcome to the Forest Temple." Zelda whispered from below him, and he saw the same awe painted across her face that was probably mirrored on his own features.

"What _is_ this place?" Link asked, staring at the carvings that fringed the stone, the intense detail that had gone into each stroke.

"If I'm not mistaken," Zelda took out her map and pointed to the emerald forest, the colors now dull in comparison to the glowing hues of the greenery in the forest, the shades of green undulating across the tall grasses, a sea of viridian and pure gold, "It's the location of our next sacred flame."

Link glanced back at Zelda, suddenly determined. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go."

 **Oooh, phantoms, shadows... Reminds me of Dark Link in Hyrule Warriors (character flaws give me life.) Excited for the Forest Temple? Any ideas on the boss or the item? I won't give away any hints, although I was playing Twilight Princess recently... *dun dun dunnn***

 **I'm going on a trip this weekend and won't be able to write then, but I'll be back on Tuesday. For those of you who don't read TTC (that was an abrupt subject change) I just did a chapter on Spirit Tracks, so if you like the game go check it out! If you want. No pressure.**

 **Today's reviews, follows and favorites go to the Maku Road Restoration, to assist in the damage inflicted upon it when the King of the Red Lions swam through the asphalt. Yeah, that'll leave some potholes. O generous citizens, support this noble cause! And if you don't care about the Maku Road tell me what you think of the story so far! It would make my day.**

 **Since author's notes are supposed to be short and this one is getting pretty long I'll cut it off here. Until next time, then!**


	17. Moulder In Dust Away

**Hello hello hello and welcome back! Thanks for reading! Seriously, I don't thank you guys enough.**

 **Untrue to my word, I did not get to writing this week (I'm incorrigible) but don't worry! I'll get loads done soon... Eventually...**

 **So far so good, though. Read on!**

The interior of the temple was just as magnificent as the exterior, if possible. Four sweeping columns raised to the balmy golden light that shielded the ceiling from view in a mesh of vines, and more green vines snaked their way up the columns and snarled in the cracks in the marble. Thin branches thatched the walls as well, and Link looked down to see large patches of grass protruding from the space between the pavement stones. Moss and grass coated the ground in a thin layer, and Link felt the grasses spring under his step as he walked.

"Well, they don't call it the Forest Temple for nothing." He announced, words echoing in the emptiness and stillness of the room. The faint rustling of the vines was the only other sound in the temple, or so it seemed. "Which goddess is this one dedicated to?"

"Nayru." Zelda answered, and Link automatically winced, expecting Gangstadorf to barge in at any moment and arrest them. Unfortunately, this temple seemed to lack a beautiful statue like the Spirit Temple did. What it lacked in gorgeous goddess replicas it made up for in impressiveness, Link decided. The entire structure was breathtaking, even in its deteriorated state.

"Where to first?" Link asked, glancing around the room. Set into the columns were four doors, shielded by the ivy. Link hurried over to the corner of the room and pushed the curtain of vines aside, then shoved the door open with his shoulder. The marble cracked at the rusted hinges and Link propped the door against the wall. Zelda followed after him, looking wary.

"What? It's not like Nayru's going to charge us with breaking in and entering." Link protested.

The inside of the column revealed a narrow spiral staircase that led up to another floor. They were halfway up when Zelda suddenly stopped Link and pointed to something on the stairs. A thin fiber, almost as thin as Skulltula silk, stretched from one side of the stairs to the other.

"Traps? Nayru doesn't take kindly to burglars."

"We're not _burglars."_ Zelda argued, but it sounded like she was tying to convince herself.

"Larcenists? Permanent borrowers? Needy citizens?" Link offered, and Zelda gave him a glare that could melt steel.

Careful to not touch the filament, Link stepped over the trip wire and continued on up the stairs. The golden goddesses must have had a thing for traps – first the exploding bomb tile in the Spirit Temple, and now this. Not a trait he would have expected.

The second floor emptied out onto a balcony-like structure had great views of the bottom and upper floors. Vines crept over the floor, having made their way up to the second floor, and Link eyed them with renewed interest. Knowing the affinity of the goddesses for traps, anything could happen. Even innocuous-looking leaves could hide deadly dangers.

Link walked to the edge of the balcony and glanced down at the bottom floor, at the patches of moss and grass overtaking the weathered marble floor. The tiles and greenery interlaced like a quilt, and when he looked up he could see the same collection of vines and light filtering in from above.

"Hey, Link, check this out."

Zelda had cleared a section of the vines away from the wall and revealed a small target shape carved into the wood. Instantly Link pulled out the Hookshot and shot the barbs for the center of the target. The metal dug into the stone like it had in the Spirit Temple and Link was tugged to the wall by the force of the Hookshot.

"See anywhere else we can use this?" Link asked, glancing around the room with eyes peeled for any other Hookshot targets, and turned around just in time to see the vines come alive.

In seconds the ivy had snared his ankles and began to drag him towards the balcony. With a shout Link drew the Goddess Sword and slashed the blade through the attacking vines, but with each swipe more and more angry plant life took its place. Soon the branches had wound tightly around his calves and he was yanked to the ground, tugged to the balcony by the demon ivy. Zelda seemed to be faring no better, her wrists and ankles bound in tight ropes of green. As Link watched he saw a large vine tie itself around her waist and pull her away.

Slashing madly, Link made little progress to free himself from the clutch of the vines. He was now cocooned up to his waist and the vines were dragging at his shoulders, wrapping around his torso tightly. If one of the vines got caught around their necks...

"Your bow!" He shouted at Zelda before a single strand of ivy wound around his face. Her eyes narrowed in confusion as she batted away the vines, but she managed to free a hand and drag her bow out of her pouch. The change happened instantly – the vines recoiled from the weapon, almost like they were burned. Link watched as Zelda hastily fired an arrow at the vines encasing her legs and the plants fell dead at her feet.

 _The light._ The vines shied away from the light.

"Over here!" Link shouted, though through the thick cocoon of vines it sounded more like "Oof hrr!" Zelda got the idea quickly and aimed her bow straight at Link's head. Preparing for the worst, he braced himself, but the only sensation that followed was one of release; the vines were becoming limp. With some difficulty he freed himself and snatched up the Goddess Sword, ready to take on any more angry plants. Thankfully, the vines appeared to be vanquished.

"I hate nature." Link groaned, and Zelda laughed breathily, holding her bow so tightly her knuckles turned white. He assumed she wasn't going to let it out of her sight again, especially when it had proved to be so helpful. "Why does Nayru hate us so much?"

"It's not us, it's intruders in general. Can you imagine what Gangstadorf could do with the Hookshot?" Zelda replied, eyes flickering across the mass of dead vines, as if she was waiting for one to twitch. Link felt equally on edge, but the adrenaline of the fight was already fading.

"Escape Gerudo prison? But then again, if he can master difficult dark magic, I'm sure prison escapes are child's play for him."

Link was all too happy to leave the second floor balcony behind and cross over to the next staircase, but the one that led to the third floor, albeit free of traps, had a locked door at the top. No amount of shoulder-bashing would knock it down, and Link was about to try the infamous roundhouse kick again when Zelda proposed that they might need a key to get it open.

"Sure, but where do we get a key?" Link asked, slightly frustrated and sore from the shoulder-bashing.

"Think about it. We can assume the vines were activated when you used the Hookshot."

"What? I thought it was my charming personality."

"And what is this entire temple covered in?"

"Vines." Link responded, glancing around carefully as they walked back onto the second floor balcony again. "You don't think..."

"Try it." Zelda urged, pointing to column opposite the balcony. "Aim for that column over there."

Link stepped up to the balcony ledge, carefully balancing on the top, and leveled the Hookshot at one of the columns. It would be a long fall if this didn't work. Hopefully Zelda knew what she was doing. Taking careful aim, he let out a slow breath and fired the Hookshot.

With a whir the barbs spun out along the Hookshot chain and dug into the intertwined ivy, dragging Link along after it. After a second of gut-wrenching speed he was suspended at least fifty feet over the first floor. The balcony was surprisingly far now and he could vaguely see Zelda's figure.

"Nice work." The Pirate's Charm lit up and Link spat a curse at it. _I go all the way to buy walkie-talkies and you don't even use them? This is an insult!_ "See if there's anything else you can latch on to. Any floating structures or small landings."

Link was about to dismiss her advice when he saw a small alcove ten feet under the balcony. It was almost completely coated in vines, which would be a perfect camouflage if he was searching for it from below, but from his vantage point on the columns he could see the smallest bit of wood – a chest. Aiming the Hookshot for the vines, he fired and rocketed towards the alcove.

Once he reached the space and had clambered into the alcove Zelda's voice buzzed back onto the walkie-talkies. "Where are you? I can't see you from here."

Pulling the walkie-talkie out of his pocket, Link glared at the block of plastic menacingly. "I see how it is. Whenever you actually need information you use the walkie-talkies, but other than that, the Pirate's Charm? This is cruel and unusual torture."

He could almost feel her blushing when she responded. "What did you find?"

"It looks like a chest. A good size for a key. I'm going to open it right now." Link bent down and kicked the chest open. The latch popped open and he extracted a single silver key out of the chest. It seemed to be in better shape than the key from the Spirit Temple, and he radioed in to tell Zelda about the find. After a short minute of climbing he was back on the balcony.

"Good work." Zelda complimented, examining the key. "This should fit into the third-floor door."

As it turned out the key _did_ fit into the third-floor door, and the marble door slid open with a rusty whine to reveal similar balcony like the one on the second floor, though less coated in ivy, which Link appreciated. Besides its size the balcony had little other resemblance to the one on the second floor. In fact, there wasn't even a Hookshot target to activate hidden dangers. On the other side of the balcony was another locked door that led around to the next column, as well as Link could guess. But where to find the key?

"Now what?" He asked, and Zelda shrugged.

"I have no idea. Usually there's an obstacle to pass or something, a task to accomplish."

"We really need to pick up some dynamite."

"This is a sacred space of the goddess, Link! You can't just go around blowing it up!" Zelda retaliated.

"Says who?" Link shot back, smiling slightly as Zelda fumbled for a reply. "Exactly. Nayru will forgive me when we defeat Gangstadorf."

Link slashed the ivy down from the wall, but it wasn't hiding any secret levers or anything, just blank stome. It wasn't marble like the rest of the temple, though, instead composed of stacked stones of various sizes like bricks. Link peered at the collection for a while and Zelda joined him, looking frustrated.

"What are we doing?" She finally asked impatiently, and Link relished the moment when he knew something she didn't. It would probably never happen again.

"The thing about living in the city, princess, is sometimes you have to look for things that are hidden right before your eyes."

Zelda did not appreciate his cryptic message. "And how does that apply to this wall?"

Instead of answering Link stepped forward and placed his hand on one of the stones, then shoved it in. A faint click echoed behind the wall as a mechanism released and about thirty gelatinous blobs fell from the ceiling. Link wasn't worried at first – until the gelatinous blobs re-formed and turned their creepy murderous gelatinous eyes on him.

"What did you _do?"_ Zelda shouted, and the Jell-O monsters attacked.

Link stabbed the Goddess Sword though a red one that would be cherry-flavored if the monsters were actually made of Jell-O, and it dissolved on his sword tip. One of the gelatinous things latched onto his leg, and another on his other leg, and he had to roll to free himself of their Jell-O grip.

The twang of a bowstring caught his attention and he saw Zelda pegging the little Jell-O monsters with ease. With a twinge of regret Link began to wage a full assault against the monsters. Unfortunately for the little Jell-O monsters, as cute as they were, they had to be disposed of. Zelda shot an arrow through the brain of the last monster and a key fell from the ceiling and clattered onto the tile.

"That wasn't too hard." Link sheathed the Goddess Sword and grinned. Zelda refused to speak to him until they had unlocked the next door.

A narrow passage led to the next column, which had a blissfully unlocked door attached to it. Link opened the door and glanced around the new area, assessing immediate threats, when Zelda brushed past him with her nose in the air. Link wondered if she was still angry about the Jell-O monster onslaught, but to be fair, they had gotten a key out of it.

The new room was closed to the main area of the temple but had an open wall to the outside of the temple. Link saw the boughs of trees stretching into the structure of the temple, and like on the second-floor balcony the room was almost covered in vines. _Great. Just great._

Slowly Link drew the Goddess Sword, prepared to fight back if the vines tried to hurl him out of the temple. Zelda looked equally nervous, although he could still see the defiance in her eyes. For some reason the room set him on edge, or maybe it was the fact that in every room he had entered so far something had attacked him. Nayru could make a fortune off of her security system.

"See anything?" He asked, and thankfully Zelda responded. The silent treatment didn't last long with her.

"Not really... But keep your sword out, just in case. Something about this place..." She trailed off, but Link followed her advice. He was in no mood to get chucked out of the temple, at any rate.

The moment of silence was too good to be true, and he knew it. The first sign that something was amiss was the trembling of the floor. Zelda grabbed Link's arm for support and he raised his eyebrows at her, but she was too busy watching the mess of vines scrambling across the floor. _Literally_ scrambling.

"Not again!" Link yelled as the vines tangled and snarled, but they didn't reach out and snare at him like the other vines had. These vines were forming a shape. Link watched as a vaguely humanoid figure emerged from the ivy – strong, thick vines wound into legs, a torso and arms, hands with thorns as claws. The barbs looked almost as sharp as those on the Hookshot, and Link was prepared to steer clear of them. Finally a head formed out of the vines, with sharp thorns for teeth and a tough-looking, crudely shaped face.

Link dismissed the though that this might be the resident helpful vine giant when it approached him and gave a roar that made the stones underneath his feet tremble.

"We have to kill this thing?" He yelped, and Zelda drew her bow stoically.

"That's the general idea, yes." She muttered, then dodged out of the way as a barbed, thorny fist jabbed at her with a swift right hook.

Link darted to the other side of the vine monster, sizing up his opponent. He slashed his sword at the monster's leg and sliced through the thick stalks. With a growl the vine creature fell to one knee, but the ivy rewound itself around the wound and the beast was as good as new again in seconds. Zelda seemed to be faring just as well, which is to say, very poorly. Her arrows seemed to be having as much of an effect on the monster as the Goddess Sword was.

Glancing around the room, Link caught sight of a faint scarring on the ceiling. After a moment of inspection he realized it was a Hookshot target. But why would one be there?

The vine monster growled and lunged for Link, one barb slicing through the front of his shirt, only centimeters away from his chest. Link scrambled back and ducked as another ivy fist swung over his head and crashed into the wall. The thorns on the fist of the beast left indents in the solid stone of the wall.

"Any idea how to beat this thing?" Zelda called out from her side of the monster, still peppering it with arrows. A thin line of red streaked across her cheek and Link guessed she had had a close shave with the thorns of the monster, as well.

"Actually, yes!" Link yelled back triumphantly, and Zelda paused her shooting to stare back at him.

"Wait, are you serious?"

Link rolled his eyes. "Din, Zelda, it's not like there's just air between my ears. Look up at the ceiling, there's a Hookshot target."

"So?" Zelda shouted, rolling as the fist of the vine monster slashed over her head. In seconds she was up on one knee and shot an arrow straight into the monster's thorny maw.

"Look, whenever you shoot this thing the vines just grow back, right?" Link shouted back at her, and the monster gave a frustrated screech before wheeling on Link again.

"Yes..." Zelda's eyes widened as the realization hit her.

"Take this!" Link tossed one of the Hookshots at her and kept one for himself. "On three?"

"Now!" Zelda cried out, lunging for the vine monster. In seconds she had yanked out vines and tied the Hookshot tightly into the side of the monster, and Link followed suit, ripping out the ivy from the tightly woven body of the monster and snarling them into the straps of the Hookshot. The vine monster screeched and swiped at Link and Zelda frantically, but Link maintained a steady aim and shot the Hookshot into the target with ease. The vine monster was uprooted and hung suspended from the ceiling of the temple, out of the reach of the other vines. The vines on the ground shriveled and fell limp, cut off from their life source, and after minutes of hacking and slashing at the vine monster like a pinata it crumpled to the ground as a pile of lifeless ivy. The two Hookshotss clattered down with it, and the door to the next room slid open with a whine.

"Not too shabby, princess." Link smiled as he put the Hookshots away, and Zelda gave him the smallest smile in return.

"Oh, please. You know I did all of the work there." She winked, and Link knew she was joking.

Hopefully she was joking.

 **I swear I have not been recruited by Jell-O to advertise their product. That would be pretty hilarious, though. And lucrative. (If any of you know someone who works at Jell-O Inc. tell them to hire me.)**

 **Today's reviews, follows and favorites go to the... You know what, this time we don't have a foundation. Reviews actually inspire me to keep writing, so if you love this story (or even like it. Either one) would you mind dropping in a review? The encouragement would mean the world to me. Thank you!**

 **Have I mentioned that you're my favorites? Don't tell TTC. Speaking of TTC, I wrote a draft of the Skyward Sword chap that was** ** _terrible,_** **but the updated and better chapter will be out soon.**

 **Since author's notes are supposed to be short I'll end things here. Until next time!**

 **(Wow, you get two exclamation points this time. You should be honored. But who am I to tell you what to be? Anyways, see ya.)**


	18. Temporal Infestation Diagoras

**As pathetic as it may sound, I just realized it was Friday. Have another chapter! Because I'm uber-enterprising I actually wrote another chapter, and I'm about to do the same as soon as I upload this.**

 **Not much else to say here right now. Read on!**

With the defeat of the vine monster a door had creaked open on the opposite side of the room. Link gave the dead pile of ivy a vehement kick as he passed, which, although pointless, expressed his newfound hatred for nature, or the traps of the goddesses.

"Your winnings, sir." Zelda announced as they walked into the next room, thankfully vine-free and containing a single large chest. Besides moss creeping up the sides, it looked relatively intact, which was a nice state for a chest to be in. Carefully Link cracked open the lid and reached into the depths of the chest. His fingers brushed something metal and he lifted a heavy shield out of the chest. Faded navy paint covered most of the metal, and a yellow Triforce burned in the top center, still bright after years of being stuck in a chest. He held out the shield for Zelda to admire and her jaw practically dropped to the floor.

"No _way!_ That's the shield of the Hero! The guards at the palace used to have them _ages_ ago! Do you know how rare those are?" She gasped, and Link posed dramatically.

"What do you think? Fitting for a Hero?"

Zelda's eyes narrowed and she smiled, a look that usually meant trouble. "For you, sure. You spend half of the time cowering behind something as is, now you have a shield to hunker behind when I'm saving your neck."

Link bristled, even though he knew Zelda was joking. "You listen here, Miss Triforce of Wisdom, who came up with the Hookshot idea back there, _and_ saved you from Aveil in the Gerudo Fortress, _and,_ dare I mention, get your lousy ass out of Castle Town without ten million Bokoblins on our tail?"

"All right, all right, I get it. That is a really nice shield, though. I wonder how old it is?" Zelda mused, suddenly businesslike again.

"So long as it does its job I couldn't care less." Link replied brusquely, still rankled from her cowering comment. "Well, o wise and noble princess, lead the way."

Zelda raised her eyebrows but didn't speak again until they had exited the shield room and worked their way down to the ground floor. Link could immediately tell a change had come over the temple – the golden light that had been filtering through the vines was dark, and when he looked up he saw the mesh of vines had tightened and grown, cutting off the light. The grasses he had walked over only hours ago had grown up past his knees, and the clean-cut marble of the temple was suddenly overgrown and wild, like the temple was tipping from order to chaos.

"This is really weird." Zelda commented, drawing her bow again. Even the brilliant golden beams cast by the metal were swallowed up by the vines, hidden in the darkness.

"No kidding. We were knocked out for five hundred years?" Link stepped over one of the columns that used to stand in the corner, now shattered against the ground and entwined with vines. When had it fallen? When was the crash?

"Link..." Zelda began to speak, and he glanced over at her. In the darkness her face was stark and pale.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Something about this temple... I mean, think about it." She gestured to the column. "When did that fall? How did we not notice?"

Link snapped his fingers. "I was just thinking the same thing. Did the vine dude upstairs drug us or something?"

Zelda shook her head, although Link saw a smile on her face. _Mission accomplished._ "I don't think the 'vine dude' would have been able to."

Frowning, Link glanced around the temple. If possible, it looked even more choked and overgrown that before, with only a dim glow illuminating their way.

"Time." Zelda gasped and he looked up, startled.

"What?"

"Time!" Zelda snapped his fingers, probably imitating him, and began to pace. "It makes sense! Think about it – this temple has to be as old as the Spirit Temple, right?"

"How should I know?" Link shrugged. "But I guess it would make sense."

"But remember the Spirit Temple? That place was a dump!" Link felt a twinge of regret as she spoke, remembering Zario's words, how the Zuna had built the temple themselves. How Zario had thought it was still as glorious as it had been in the past. "There were holes in the floors, and even the keys were old and rotten. And then we get here!"

Link interrupted her, eyes widening with realization. "It was way too nice. Especially the columns, that big structure at the top – no way would a building that old be able to stay up for so long."

" _Time."_ Zelda repeated. "Something about this temple messes with time. Look at the shield! It's an antique." Link unslung the shield from his back and showed it to her again. The light of the bow shone across the metal, casting wayward beams of light across the vine-sheathed walls.

"It looks as good as new." He muttered slowly.

"That's because it _is_ new. Was new." Link put the shield back and Zelda tilted her head back to look at the mass of vines that choked out the light from the ceiling, eyes stormy.

"Okay. We enter the temple at a stage when it was in the past, and now that we defeated the vine monster it's sometime in the future." She gasped and Link reached for his sword by force of habit. "What if we've been stuck in here for hundreds of years?"

Link laughed, but not unkindly. "Don't worry, princess. We entered the temple in normal time when it was in the past. Who says we can't exit it into normal time as well? Still, this is really bizarre." Time travel certainly wasn't on the agenda when he was in Castle Town, and frankly the whole idea of it was giving him a headache.

"If I had to guess I'd say we're in some localized pocket of time. By us coming in maybe it disrupted the spell that was preserving the temple. Nayru was trying to keep robbers out, but she was also trying to help the Hero! By keeping the temple in a single moment of time it preserved the sacred flame. You know," Zelda mused, "Maybe I was wrong about Nayru. Maybe she's not too bad after all."

After a few moments of silence she turned to see Link staring at her. "What?"

"Nothing." He shrugged again. "It's just, _localized time pocket._ You can be kind of smart sometimes."

"I'm flattered." Zelda's voice dripped with sarcasm.

More silence. "I killed the moment, didn't I?"

"Yep." She affirmed, then glanced at the walls like they might suddenly collapse in on her. "If the temple is starting to revert to its present-day state..."

"We should get out of here. Preferably as soon as possible."

"Look around, there should be a clue to where the sacred flame is." Zelda insisted, pointing her bow in various directions to illuminate the room.

"Or whatever monster Nayru has to guard it. You know, I think I could live a satisfied life never seeing another vine again." Link nudged a loose strand of ivy with his boot, half expecting it to come to life and strangle him. A deep rumbling echoed under the floor of the temple and the structure groaned, its foundation trembling. Shards of tile and marble clattered down onto the floor and Link jumped back as a large chunk of molding shattered at his feet.

"What was that?" Zelda asked when the rumbling had subsided.

"Something wants to take this temple down." Drawing the Goddess Sword, Link's eyes darted around the room, prepared to attack anything that moved. The shadows of the temple seemed to merge before his eyes, deja vu punching at his gut.

 _Like when Gangstadorf attacked._

He was only frozen for a moment before he shook off the sensation with a laugh. _It's just a shadow, idiot. Get a grip._

"See anything?" Zelda called over to him.

"Nope. Nayru, it's dark."

A rumbling resounded around the temple again and Zelda shouted suddenly. Link dashed to her side and watched as she pointed to something snaking across the temple. He could see a swath of brown, snarling and writhing over the floor of the temple, and then another brown shape ran over it, crisscrossing over the floor of the temple.

"Roots." Zelda whispered, and Link glanced up to the ceiling to see the light flickering over their head erratically, like a strobe light in the clubs back in Castle Town.

"It's time. We're going forward again." He supplied. Roots didn't grow that fast, and as he watched the vines choked the walls, swarmed over the columns, covering the temple in a wallpaper of black and green.

"Link... Look over there." Zelda's voice was eerily quiet and emotionless as she pointed her bow to a shape in the corner. The vines rustled and creaked as a figure began to swell in the corner. Roots and vines shot out from its base and Link watched a bulbous shadow swell from the roots, scaly skin puckering over a swollen stomach, a snakelike, segmented neck bobbling back and forth, red eyes set deep into a face freckled with scales, burning with hate and fire. Insect-like legs burst from its shell and skittered across the tiles, tearing up the vines and punching through the tiles of the temple floor easily. It leveled its head at Link and Zelda and let out a screaming hiss, long tongue flickering between teeth that were as tall as Link himself. When the creature reached its full height its dragon-like head almost scraped the second floor.

"What in the godessforsaken realm is _that?"_ Link yelped. Suddenly cowering behind his new shield didn't sound too bad.

"Did you see its tongue?" Zelda shouted over the clamor. The creature arched its neck backwards and screamed again, sending a chill down Link's spine. Murky purples and ugly yellows swathed the body of the creature, scales tinged with the slightest shade of red. Nayru liked her monsters ugly.

"It's tongue? Look at that thing! Why do you care about its tongue?" Link hollered, causing the monster to whip its head back around and screech at him. A putrid wind rushed by and Link almost gagged on the stench. Then again, this thing had been festering in the temple for hundreds of years. Hygiene probably went by the wayside.

"Watch when it shrieks again. Hey, ugly!" Zelda catcalled, and Link focused on the serpentine mouth as it lashed back towards Zelda. Something about the tongue...

"Is that an eye?" He asked, half disgusted, half intrigued. "Gross... But cool."

"The eye is its weakness!" Zelda insisted, and Link readied the Goddess Sword as the monster's head dipped back in his direction. "Hit the eye!" She raised her bow and aimed for the monster's maw, but before the arrow could make contact the beast snapped its jaws shut.

Link tried to focus as the light continued to flicker and flash. The temple was deteriorating and they were still inside of it. With each second another dangerous groan hummed throughout the structure. They had to kill this thing, and quick.

The bulbous body of the creature swiveled towards Link and he watched the snakelike head weave back and forth, in an almost hypnotizing motion before it struck. The blow was so fast he was almost too late to block it, barely pulling out his shield before the head of the beast drilled into the metal with the speed and force of a bullet train. The shield was shoved into his chest and he fell backwards into the mess of ivy, scrambling for footing as the beast snapped at him, poisonous drool splattering across the temple floor. In a swift motion Link kicked out and drove his heel into one of the murderous red eyes of the beast, stunning it, then plunged his sword in.

With a scream of pain that set Link's hair on edge the creature arched backwards, reeling, before collapsing out at Link's feet. Its tongue rolled out of its maw and Link saw the enormous, yellow eye set into the purple tongue, thickly streaked with veins and covered in gelatinous monster spit. Hastily he slashed the Goddess Sword across the eye as Zelda plugged her arrows in chinks in the beast's skin, causing it to flinch and tense. Soon the creature regained its energy and rolled back up again, neck arching and eyes flitting around the room madly.

Link's heart was pounding from the speed of the fight, and he was ready when the next attack came, even more vehement than the first. Zelda's advice drilled thorough his skull as his feet slid back, blocking the snapping jaws with his shield, then jabbing the Goddess Sword at the two red eyes set deep in the serpentine face. Dribbles of yellow liquid streamed from its wounded eyes and again the beast collapsed at Link's feet, tongue rolling out, and he hacked and slashed at the eye. Zelda was prepared when it rolled back up on itself again, sending a flurry of arrows into its mouth before it could close again. The screams of pain shook the walls of the temple and Link's body spiked with alarm when one of the upper walls gave a dangerous wobble, then began to lean...

"Get down!" He hollered at Zelda, then jumped to the side as a huge section of the marble caved in from the outside and collapsed down towards them, disintegrating into a pile of bricks and shattering into the temple with a resounding _boom!_

"Link!" Zelda shouted from the other side of the rubble, "Keep fighting! My bow –"

Her voice was cut off when the monster wheeled towards her, shaking its head and trembling. Link saw fragments of shrapnel set deep in its oozing yellow skin and shuddered, then remembered the danger of the situation. _Zelda_ was in danger.

"Hey! Over here! Look at the more heroic and probably more delicious person over _here!"_ Link waved the Goddess Sword over his head and taunted the beast until it turned back towards him with a shrieking roar. A change had overtaken the monster after the attack – it certainly looked more formidable, and the red eyes were deeply hateful as it sized up its opponent. Cocking its head back, the beast roared again, making the ceiling of the temple tremble.

 _The last thing we need is another cave-in._ Link shouted again and the monster reacted with remarkable swiftness for its size, barreling towards him faster than any time it had before. Hastily Link dropped to the ground to avoid getting smashed into, then rolled onto his back and planted his feet into the neck of the beast and kicked with all his strength. A wheeze echoed from above him and he rolled out of the way just before the creature crumpled to the tiles, dragging in deep breaths. Its tongue rolled out from between its teeth again and Link stabbed the Goddess Sword into its eye with all of the force he could muster until the last rancid breath had leaked from between the beast's teeth. With a shudder it curled back together and trembled, then exploded into black ash, which settled at Link's feet like dark snow. A dull rumbling sounded from one wall and a door slid open, but Link was barely paying attention to it.

"Zelda?" He yelled, suddenly panicked. Had she been hit when the wall had fallen? Was she hurt?

He circled around the pile of rubble to see Zelda kneeling beside it, her face glowering.

"What did I do this time?" He asked instinctively, and Zelda shook her head.

"It's not you. My bow got stuck under there." She pointed at the collapsed wall, eyes dark.

"Can't we just get a new one?" Link ran a hand through his hair, which was lightly dusted in the black ask from the monster.

"It's not that... Impa gave it to me when I was training. And now I lost it." She huffed.

"Don't worry, princess. Do you think you know where it fell?"

Zelda pointed to an area near the edge of the rubble and Link shoved his weight against one of the larger sections of marble. The stone shifted and a faint beam of light radiated from the debris. Zelda joined him and soon the rocks around the bow were cleared. The bow was still intact, thankfully, because Link had no idea how they would survive without Zelda's expert marksmanship, and she seemed relieved to have it back in her hands again.

"Sacred flame?" Link asked, pointing to door, and Zelda smiled in consent.

A blue flame billowed on its pyre in the small room, which hadn't been spared from the degradation of time. Vines still swathed the walls and Link had to step over large broken-off sections of the walls to reach the pyre. The heat of the flame was intense even from where he was standing, and the Goddess Sword gave a slight lurch when he got closer to the flame. Raising the sword, he braced himself when the tongue of flame leaped from the pyre and wrapped its way around the sword, the heat so intense Link felt like he was breathing liquid lava. The cobalt flames seared into the blade, turning the metal white-hot... And just as quickly as it had appeared, the fire snaked back into the pyre. The Goddess Sword cooled and Link scrutinized the blade, wondering what upgrade it had received this time. After all the work they had gone through in Nayru's temple, it had better be a good one.

"The Goddess White Sword." Zelda spoke up, looking at the blade with the same intensity Link was.

"The Goddess White Sword? These upgrades sure are a mouthful." Link remarked. As if in response the temple gave a massive groan, and the ground shook with a tremor that could have been a mild earthquake.

"We can admire it later." Zelda said hastily, taking Link's elbow and dragging him out of the sacred flame room. "Let's get out of here before the temple collapses."

Link didn't need any encouraging – in minutes they were outside of the temple. He knelt on one of the boulders and watched as the last remains of the spell faded and the temple ever so slowly aged before his eyes, crumpling and folding in on itself, the proud columns buckling, the cupola collapsing to the ground with a crash. Nayru's temple forgotten for all of time.

He saw Zelda watch the scene with a mask of muted sadness on her face. "Come on, Hero. Let's find Epona and get out of here."

 **Since I need to get to writing _(need_ to. We're in dire straits here) I'll make this author's note brief. If you enjoyed please review! It would mean a lot to me, and we're almost at 50 reviews! You can be the person to tip us over!**

 **I actually can't think of much else to say. Can't wait to see you all next Remnants Friday! (What do you think of the name? Pretty bad, right?)**

 **WHERE DO YOU THINK WE'LL GO NEXT? New items, dungeons, bosses? Add them in your review!**

 **Until next time!**


	19. Raiders of the Lost

Link had cracked the code for this Hero business – about ninety percent of the time he wound up lost in the wilderness somewhere.

"I don't like deja vu." He told Zelda as they clambered through the forest, dodging low-hanging limbs and slicing through vines with renewed fervor. Link was still on edge after the vine-monster battle and still expected the foliage to come alive.

"I sure am sorry I left my _compass_ at home..." Zelda remarked sarcastically, glancing down at her map.

"Too bad the new sword upgrade didn't come with built-in GPS. Hey, you know what else had GPS? _Cell phones."_

If Zelda noticed the jibe she didn't acknowledge it, still staring at her map. "Okay, Nayru's temple was there. And we're walking this way... Which means the sun should be..."

"Just admit it. We're lost." Link shoved the Goddess Sword into the dirt and sat down on a moldering log.

"Fine! We're lost." Placing the map in her pouch, Zelda sat down next to him and set her head in her hands. Link turned to her, curious.

"It's okay, princess. We'll get out of here." He reassured her, awkwardly placing a hand on her shoulder. _Is one shoulder pat socially acceptable, or two?_

She released a slow breath and raised her head. "I know, it's just all this time and it seems like we're making no progress. Every second we're suck here in the woods Gangstadorf is out there on our tail, and now that we know he's following us... It's like I have to be constantly looking over my shoulder."

"Oh, come on! Look at all this progress we're making! We've gotten sword upgrades, a nifty shield –"

"Did you just say _nifty?"_ Zelda laughed, and Link shrugged, glad to see her smile.

"What I mean to say is, we're making a hell of a lot of progress for two kids who don't know what they're doing. Just saying, the odds being us against Gangstadorf, we're doing pretty darn well."

"Roger that." Zelda unclipped her radio and the voice echoed on Link's walkie-talkie. "Where to now, Cap'n?"

"I like the sound of that. Captain Link. Kind of has a nice ring to it, don't you think?" Link tugged the Goddess Sword out of the ground and held it over his head in his impersonation of a majestic pose, making Zelda laugh again.

"Sure, whatever you say, _Captain._ " Zelda stood and pulled out her map again. "I'm sure your uncanny sense of direction will lead us to civilization?"

"But of course, m'lady." Link bowed and pulled the map out of her hands, examining its features. "Hyrule looks kind of weird from this angle..."

"That's because you're holding the map upside down. Zelda said patiently, turning the parchment upright.

"Yes, right. I knew that."

Eventually they decided to continue on in the direction they had been walking, stepping carefully over roots and fallen trees. The only sign they were getting nearer to life was a single arrowhead embedded deep into the trunk of a tree.

"Who shot it?" Link asked, drawing the Master Sword in case the archer was still around.

Zelda pulled the arrow out of the bark and pointed to a flaking coat of what looked like paint that covered the arrowhead. She rubbed her finger across the arrowhead, then tasted the substance and spat.

"The poison is fresh. Three days." She supplied, and Link gulped.

"Poison? Like, killing people poison?"

"That's typically what poison does, yes." Zelda rolled her eyes, and Link could almost sense her exasperation. He, on the other hand, wanted to avoid being shot through the head with an arrow.

"Who would be shooting at us?" Link asked, eyes darting around to the trees' canopy.

"Not at us in particular. Besides, we're in the middle of nowhere. Who would be shooting at anyone in the first place?"

Link lowered his sword, but still kept his eyes firmly fixed on the trees. "So the good news is, there are people around here. The bad news is, they are angry poison-wielding archers. I can live with that."

Drawing her own bow, Zelda followed Link's gaze to the treetops. "Let's see if we can find some more of those arrows. Maybe if we found out where they were shooting from..."

"Hold up, I got this." Link held out a hand and pointed to the tree where the arrow had been found. "I saw an episode of _CSI: Clock Town_ like this once. All you have to do is find out the trajectory of the arrow, and you can see approximately where it was fired from." He glanced back to see Zelda watching him, looking interested. "See, I never cease to amaze you, right?"

"All right, how do we find the trajectory of the arrow, Mister _CSI: Clock Town?_ " Zelda teased.

"I think I like Captain Link better. Well, in the show they did something with a mirror shield..." Link glanced around then picked up a twig at random and stuffed it into the hole the arrow had made in the bark. The twig pointed down at the ground at a severe angle, and Link knelt to get a better perspective."

"You're the expert marksman, princess. How short would someone have to be to shoot an arrow that goes into the bark like this?"

Zelda knelt beside him and fit an arrow into her bow, measuring the angle. "Short. Way short, in fact. The bow would have to be smaller than mine, too. This isn't the work of a Hylian, Bokoblin, or Gerudo."

"Se we can cross Gangstadorf off of our list. That's a relief." Link raised himself from the ground and yanked the twig out of the tree. "But if it's not Gangstadorf who was shooting? Some angry woodland creature? I've heard those archer Keese are really vicious."

"And whoever they are, they've been here recently." Zelda twirled the arrow between her fingers. "We'd better get going if we want to avoid them."

For the next few miles no stray arrows or rumored archer Keese appeared, although Link noticed that Zelda was more careful than before, and she kept her bow drawn. Link couldn't help but realize that the sun was beginning to set between the leafy canopy, casting narrow beams of gold across the blades of grass.

"Think we should set up camp?" He asked when the first stars started appearing on the horizon, and Zelda nodded, seeming unwilling to stop their hike.

The hastily set up camp was acceptable for Link, although Zelda had qualms with the safety of their tent.

"If we get jumped by a gang of Bokoblins or those poison archers you think a tent made of leaves will guard us?" She protested as Link placed another pile on their survival shelter.

"Don't worry about it, princess. I've had to sleep in shelters like this for ages – trust me, you'll be fine."

She quieted suddenly and Link glanced around the side of the shelter, worried for a brief moment that she had been shot by the mysterious midget archers. Instead he saw her sitting next to their shelter, eyes stormy.

"Everything okay?" He asked, dropping his hands to his sides.

"No, Link, it's _not_ okay." Zelda seethed, and her gaze flashed with fire. "You said you slept in shelters like this for ages?"

"Um..." Link's gaze dropped to his boots, suddenly embarrassed. "Yeah, sometimes, when the super thinks he can kick me out of my apartment and then demands I pay rent, even though I wasn't even there..."

"Goddesses, I must sound insufferable." She whispered.

"Princess – Zelda – you're not insufferable. Not in the slightest. Don't worry about it, okay?" Face burning, Link turned away and picked up the pile of leaves again. "Go check out the shelter, see if it's roomy enough. I'll be back in a second, I need to grab some more wood."

Hurrying out of the clearing, Link let out a breath. _Zelda must think_ I'm _insufferable. The poor city kid who can't even make her a half-decent shelter. The princess of Hyrule, and when there are archers lurking in the woods all I can do is guard her with leaves? Pathetic._

"We might have a problem." Zelda announced when he returned, carrying enough firewood to build a small office building. He had taken his time coming back, not wanting to face his shoddy workmanship again. _Worthy of a streetkid, not a princess._

"What's that?" He asked, already waiting for the castigating remarks, but when Zelda's head emerged from the shelter she didn't look angry. _A good sign._

"There's only room for one in here."

Link relaxed immediately. "Oh, yeah. I thought I would sleep outside. What are guards for, you know?"

He set the Goddess Sword down in the leaves and Zelda stared at him curiously. "Wait, you're really serious?"

"Yes...?"

"Are you sure?" She narrowed her eyes like she didn't believe him.

"I'll take first watch, okay?" He leaned against the shelter, thankful that it would hold his weight, and watched as she settled back into the tent. The skies were even darker now, edging on ebony-black, and Link scanned the forest around them as a silver light streamed down, bathing the leaves in white light. Leaning his head back on the leaves of the shelter, the moon staring down at him, Link closed his eyes and didn't wake until Zelda pulled him upright and started to run.

It was a rude awakening, and Link barely had time to snatch the Goddess Sword from the ground when Zelda was tearing off out of the clearing, leaving the shelter behind.

"What's going on?" Link asked, speech slightly slurred as they sprinted through the forest, tearing through the branches.

"You know those archers? They found us." Zelda remarked tritely as they leaped over a fallen tree about as large across as Epona was.

"What?" Link yelped, slinging the Goddess Sword over his shoulder.

"I got a look at one." Zelda said grimly, and Link waited for the worst.

"Gerudo? Insane Hylians? Don't tell me – Gangstadorf?"

"Leaves."

 _Well, I wasn't expecting that._ "Pardon?"

"Leaves." Zelda parroted, and Link had to resist the urge to clean his ears out before asking her to repeat herself.

"Leaves?"

"Exactly." Zelda's face was dead serious, or she was being flawlessly sarcastic. Link expected the former. "The first arrow struck the shelter and the second one was about a centimeter away from my head. That's when I pulled you away."

"You weren't hit, were you?" Link asked, trying to glance at her and keep running full-speed at the same time, which was a difficult task.

"They only got off two shots. We should be fine..." She trailed off suddenly and shoved Link to the ground when the twang of a bowstring echoed in the silence of the woods. Link's face dug into the leaves and he stayed perfectly still until Zelda dragged him up again, bellowing, "Run!"

The echoes of the shots thundered in Link's ears and he dove left and right, digging his boots into the dirt and throwing himself to the side at the sound of each shot. Zelda was right behind him, twisting around and scanning the trees with her bow in her hands.

 _How can the leaves be attacking us?_ Link wondered as he scrambled through the woods, tearing away vines and jumping over rocks. He pivoted to see if Zelda was still following him, and then he understood what Zelda meant when she said _leaves._

The creature's face was shaped like a leaf, a faded green, pockmarked and streaked like any other leaf would be, but with curious markings in the shape of eyes and a disfigured mouth. The rest of its body was like a small tree stump, thick and pitted bark that blended into the foliage. It couldn't be any taller than his knees. As Link watched it raised a minuscule bow, fitted an arrow in, and pointed it straight in between his eyes.

Letting out a strangled cry, Link stumbled backwards and tripped, falling down behind a large rock as the arrow was loosed and ricocheted off of the stone. Zelda shouted from behind him and he raised his head, ducking down swiftly as another arrow was shot his way.

 _The leaf is targeting me!_

Pulling out his Hookshot, Link crept to the side and shot a quick glance at where the leaf creature was perched, holding its miniature bow at the ready, an arrow already set against the bowstring. Link could see the same coating of poison on the arrowhead that he had seen on the other arrow stuck in the tree. These were the same archers, most definitely. And they were out for blood.

Jumping up from his hiding place, Link leveled the Hookshot at the creature and fired the barbs at it. The shot was slightly too low and the points of the Hookshot dug deep gouges into the wood of the branch the archer creature was standing on. Shocked, the creature wobbled around for a moment before firing off a shot into the canopy. Its beady eyes fixed on Link and there was another arrow pointed at him faster than he could blink.

"Keep going!" Zelda was next to him, tugging on his arm with all of her strength, and he stumbled after her, keeping his head low as the archer sent another shot whizzing over his head.

"You okay?" He asked, panting as he took off again, boots flying over the grass and the leaves.

"Fine!" Zelda yelled back. Her face was streaked with mud and there were leaves in her hair, but otherwise she seemed unscathed. "They're flanking us from the sides. Watch the trees for any movement."

"What? How do you know?" Link demanded, turning his head to watch the trees beside him. It looked like the same old forest he had seen for ages, nothing special, and certainly not harboring any evil leaf archers.

"I heard one of them shouting orders." Zelda answered simply, and Link jumped as an arrow shot past his leg and embedded itself into the ground with enough force to completely bury it in the soft dirt.

The forest suddenly cleared again to a large space empty save a few large clusters of boulders. Zelda dove behind one and Link followed suit, keeping the Hookshot ready. A flash of movement caught his eye and he trained the Hookshot on the shape, but it faded into the backdrop of trees.

"Well, they can camouflage pretty well." He muttered, and Zelda fired a shot into the trees that tangled in the leaves of a tall tree.

"We're sitting ducks." She growled, turning to his side and firing another potshot into the treeline.

"Hold up, princess. Take a Hookshot." Pointing the barbs at the trunk of a tree, Link released the chain and rocketed towards it, slamming into the bark feet-first. With a squeal a strangely shaped figure fell from the leaf cover, but there was no denying its leaf-shaped face and bow. Link clobbered it over the head with the Hookshot and it crumpled to the ground.

Zelda caught on quickly and soon they were firing across the clearing, knocking the archers out of the trees with ease. The creatures that had escaped, however, turned the full force of their fury on Link and Zelda, sending arrows at them constantly, until Link's vision was full of the miniature missiles. It was a miracle he wasn't hit as he swung from tree to tree, ready to strike when another leafy archer would fall from the branches.

In only minutes all motion had ceased in the treeline and Link regrouped with Zelda in the middle of the clearing, breathing had but exhilarated. Link went up for a high-five which Zelda politely avoided, then scanned the woods for any more assailants.

"I think we might be..." Her eyes fell on Link and all color drained from her face. "Okay."

"What?" Link asked, then looked down to see the tiniest arrow shaft he had ever seen poking from his shoulder. Already a thin stream of blood was trickling from the wound.

"You said they were poison, right?" He asked, feeling suddenly faint, and Zelda nodded shortly.

He barely had time to think _why me?_ When the world took a sickening turn and everything faded to black.

 **If anyone noticed the Indiana Jones reference add it in a review and I'll credit you next chapter. And you'll also win my respect :)**

 **Today's donations of reviews, favorites and follows go to the release of Season One of _CSI: Clock Town._ Filled with action, adventure and crime-solving mayhem, it's a must-see for every mystery fan. Who knows? I just finished the canon games in TTC, so maybe the show will get a chapter!**

 **SO I'M UBER-PRODUCTIVE RIGHT AND WROTE THREE CHAPTERS THIS WEEK. Thought I should share that.**

 **Anyways, I know these author's notes look like novels on mobile so I'll wrap it up for now. Reviews would be super appreciated, and every kind word is so encouraging! Thank you all *smiles***

 **Until next time, then!**


	20. Through the Fire and Flames

**I know it's early for a release time, but hey. A wise man once said 'The sooner I get to read Remnants, the better.'**

 **Hopefully you know that above quote was false, but I'm sure you wonderful wise readers would agree with him :)**

 **Not much else to say here, but read on!**

Link woke up in a way he wouldn't wish upon anyone else, except maybe Gangstadorf – like he'd been run over by a truck.

His mouth felt like someone had covered it in charcoal and tasted like it too, and his shoulder stung when he tried to sit up. A streaming light shone into his eyes and he winced as a headache rumbled at the base of his skull and he laid back down, keeping his eyes clenched firmly shut.

"Good, you're awake. You don't realize how lucky you are that we administered the antidote in time before the poison set in. Thankfully Hollo is as good with poisons as he is antidotes."

"Who?" Link groaned, his mouth and throat dry and voice cracking. Turning his head to the side, he saw what at first appeared to be a gnarled tree stump, then the leafy green face of the strange archer creatures emerged from the haze and he recoiled, reaching for his sword and grasping empty air. "Who are you?"

"Calm down, child. We're not here to hurt you." The creature held out its branchlike arms in a placating gesture, its voice firm but kind.

"Oh, yeah, for sure. Just like you didn't mean to hurt me when you shot me in the shoulder!" Link shouted back, flinching as thunder crackled in his skull. The creature bowed its leafy head, pausing for a moment, then spoke again.

"Forgive us Koroks. You must understand with the rise of Gangstadorf, one can only be too careful. Anyone can be his spies. We've been invaded before and I have no doubt we'll be invaded again. Of course, we would have never attacked if we had known who you were – the princess Zelda and the Hero."

Link closed his eyes again, feeling sick. "About that Hero business..."

"Link!" A voice cried out and he barely had time to brace himself before Zelda came hurtling into the room and snatched him up in a hug. In seconds the moment was gone, though, and she pulled herself away at arm's length, eyes flaming with fire.

"Um... Hi." He said meekly, and although he saw the punch coming a mile away he took it anyways.

"Do you have any idea what you put me though?" She demanded, running a hand through her short hair and tugging at it. "I thought you were going to die – you almost were dead, if the Koroks hadn't come to help and given you the antidote to the poison..."

"Yeah, well whose fault is it that I got poisoned in the first place?" Link frowned, glaring at the creature next to his bed.

"Link, they thought we were Gangstadorf's spies." Zelda explained, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Oh, excuse me. You're pardoned." Link snapped, and the creature bowed again.

"I'm glad we see eye to eye. My name is Alder, the leader of the Korok race."

"Pleasure." Link replied tritely, not even trying to disguise his sarcasm.

"Both I and your friend are very glad you've recovered well." Alder pivoted to face Zelda, and Link was about to ask what he meant by _recovered well_ when a snide voice echoed from the doorway.

"Yeah, she was very worried, what with the kissing and such..."

"Kindel!" Alder's mellow voice grew harsh and a snickering sound came from the door. Link watched as another Korok stepped into the room, with a brilliant red leaf-face and a cocky attitude Link could almost sense, even though it was a tree.

"Kissing?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at Zelda, who blushed furiously and turned away.

"Oh, yeah. She'd sit there by your bed and say sappy things and before she'd leave..." The Korok began to talk animatedly before Alder shushed him.

"That's enough, Kindel!" The Korok ordered, and Kindel was silent, and Zelda shot daggers at him with her glare.

"So, where exactly am I?" Link asked hastily, trying to break through the awkward silence, and Alder jumped in to inform him.

"Welcome to the Forest Village, young Hero." The Korok gestured to a window and Link sat up to see out of it, completely unprepared for the view outside.

The largest trees he had ever seen burst from the ground, with trunks that were probably as wide around as the Castle Skyscraper, crisscrossed with bridges and ladders and vines and Koroks in every direction. A few were standing on the top of bridge, and would jump down and float easily down onto a platform. Vines, ropes and trellises hung from the sides of the trees and the bridges, and when Link looked up he could see many banners fluttering in the wind, tied to the canopy of the trees. Young Koroks danced between the banners , grabbing onto them and swinging to and fro, casting beams of colored light down onto the ground below them.

Even the ground was occupied, with shacks and shops covering the roots of the trees and built into the trunk, with a few even hanging from the boughs. The clamor of the peddling Koroks reached up through the branches, and Link could hear them chattering away, haggling for this and that.

"Whoa."

"Not too shabby, huh? Kindel said from behind him, voice laced with pride.

"Why isn't this place on the map?" Link asked Zelda, but it was Alder who replied.

"The Forest Village is one of the best-kept secrets in the realm. Only the Korok race knows of its existence. We harbor marvelous treasures in these trees. You can understand why Gangstadorf would want our world obliterated?"

"Not on my watch." Link insisted, glancing out the window again as a pack of Koroks fluttered down from one bridge to another, laughing.

"I'll take you down to the ground."Alder gestured towards the door and Link and Zelda followed, Kindel at their heels. The door of the room opened up to the air with no bridge or stairs in sight, and the drop was enough to turn Link into a grease spot on the grass if he fell.

"How did we get up here, exactly?" He asked, and Kindel responded in a tone that clearly meant he thought Link was an idiot.

"We flew up here, duh."

"Oh, silly me, I can't believe I left my wings at home. How are we going to get down?"

"I thought of that. Take these." The item was a large leaf that was about half Link's height, deep green and decorated with long, protruding veins and stalks. "This is the Deku Leaf. You'll be able to float down to the ground. After me!" Alder jumped in a twirling pirouette and fluttered down to the ground easily, with Kindel in hot pursuit.

"Ready?" Link asked Zelda, who gripped her Deku Leaf tightly in both hands. Taking hold of the stem and the end of the leaf, Link took a breath and then jumped out of the doorway.

The Deku Leaf, surprisingly, held his weight as he soared to the ground, wind rushing past and ballooning under the leaf , tugging at his arms as he slowly swept down past bridges and flags, dodging Koroks and platforms left and right before his boots finally touched the soil of the village.

"Took you long enough." Kindel snorted when he walked over, and Zelda joined them in moments. Alder started to give them an impromptu tour of the village, and as Link stared up at the trees he could truly appreciate the size of the Forest Village, and the ground was even more cluttered than the trees.

"Hey! You're not a Korok!" A young Korok stared up at Link with wonder.

"Brilliant deduction, Rown." Kindel peered around Link's leg to tease the younger Korok.

"Are you the Hero of Time?" Rown gaped and Link grinned.

"That's the idea, kid."

"No _way!"_ The Korok bounced around energetically, waving its little arms in excitement. "The Koroks haven't seen the Hero in _ages!_ I thought Willo was lying!"

"It's true." Alder spoke up, leading Link and Zelda towards a massive, scarred tree. "We Koroks have waited ages for the advent of the next Hero. I can sense the courage in you, young man. Follow me."

Long, snarling rots radiated out from the tree, and Link could vaguely see what looked like a face shaped by the misformed bark, dwarfed by the thick tresses of ivy and scars from decades of exposure to the elements.

"The Great Deku Tree. His spirit has long since left us, but his wisdom will live on in his people." Alder said solemnly, bowing on the roots, and Link did so also.

"There is something in here I think you might enjoy." Alder approached the tree and placed his small, wooden hand against the shriveled bark, then murmured a few words in a deep, reverberating voice, a language that Link had never heard before. The tree rumbled, let out a low groan, then a section of the bark next to Alder's hand slid up to reveal a small doorway.

"Enter." Alder gestured for them to enter and Link ducked under the doorway.

The room inside of the Deku Tree was small, probably built for Koroks, but lit with torches and well-kept, still clean and free of the corrosion of time. Alder pointed to a small pedestal set in the middle of the room and Link walked over to it, hands reaching for the parcel on top of it, slowly unwrapping it and revealing green fabric, chair mail, and a long windsock cap.

"Are these..."

"The clothes of the legendary Hero. The Knight's uniform, the recruit's uniform, the green tunic of the ages." Alder said seriously, and Link couldn't believe what he was holding.

"So you're saying the _Hero_ wore these."

"That's exactly what he's saying." Zelda's eyes were filled with awe as she watched Link raise the uniform to the light.

"They are for you, Hero." The Korok bowed his head and Link stared at him, disbelieving.

"Me?" Link's eyes widened and he stared at the uniform again. _This is for a Hero, and I'm no Hero. How could I take this?_

"Indeed." Alder gestured to the clothes. "They are yours to take. But be forewarned –"

Link paused and almost dropped the clothes, expecting Alder to say that the uniform was cursed or something.

"You will be recognizable as the Hero in this garb." Alder spoke solemnly, voice reverberating against the walls of the tree. "This can be for good and for ill – the people will rally to you, but so will those who wish you harm. It is a blessing and a curse."

Link looked at the Hero's clothes with renewed interest. _Can I take the place of this Hero? Am I worthy of wearing this?_

"Thank you, Alder. I will wear it with pride." Link raised his head and Alder nodded.

"The Koroks have kept this safe for a long time, Link, young Hero. Use your courage well."

They exited the tree and Kindel leaped to Alder's side, staring at the uniform in Link's arms. "Nooo way, Alder! You gave that little twerp the Hero's clothes? You're not the Hero, are you?" The Korok asked disbelievingly, and Link raised an eyebrow at him, smothering a smile.

"As it turns out I _am_ the Hero, and you should watch your mouth. Stow it."

Kindel was silenced, although he didn't look happy about it, and Zelda disguised a giggle as a hasty cough.

"You might want to change, Link." Zelda offered, and he glanced down at his clothes, the same ones he had worn out of Castle Town, which were filthy and torn from the Forest Temple and the other various adventures along the road.

"I think you're right, princess." With a devilish gleam in his eyes Link leaned in close and whispered into Zelda's ear, "You know, I wouldn't say no to one of those kisses that I've been hearing rumors about..."

Zelda shoved him away and rolled her eyes. "In your dreams, _Hero."_

Alder led Link to a small room with a conventional, though Korok-sized shower. It took a while to scrub off all of the dirt and sand he had accumulated. He was surprised that the clothes of the Hero were remarkably clean and well-mended. After Link chipped the coat of mud off of his boots he felt like a new man – or at least, a cleaner one. The clothes of the Hero fit well, which he hadn't been expecting, although the layer of chain mail and thick woven cloth was heavier than he was used to, he could get used to it. There was even a scabbard for the Goddess Sword.

When he walked out he noticed Koroks staring at him, and finally a daring young one walked up to him and tugged on the end of his tunic.

"Rown told me you're the Hero, mister. Are ya?"

"That's right." Link nodded and the Korok fluttered up a few feet, writhing with excitement.

"Wow, Rown wasn't kidding! Wow!"

Link followed Alder back to the tree he had been rooming in previously, and the elder Korok informed him on his stay in the Forest Village.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you wish. I have already send out my scouts to my contacts in civilization that the Hero has returned to Hyrule. By the time you leave the forest the rumors will be running rampant." Alder winked almost deviously. "I would like to see Ganstadorf fall as much as anyone. You have the support of the Koroks."

"Thank you so much for what you've done, Alder." Zelda clasped Alder's small hands in hers, and he smiled.

"Anything for my princess. Now that I've thought of it, the festival of light is occurring tonight. It's a wonderful spectacle to behold, if you wish to. Of course, you're invited."

"Thanks a million, Alder." Link glanced down at the Hero's tunic for a moment, then faced the Korok again.

"Absolutely, my dear boy. And I am sorry about the poisoning business."

With help of the Deku Leaf, Link climbed up to the heights of the tree and sat on one of the vines, watching as the Koroks clambered into the trees and lit candles, setting up lanterns and tapers on windowsills. The assortment of banners hanging from the canopy of trees and branches, surrounded by the reddish glow of the falling sun, were wrapped around the lanterns as beacons of every color, fluttering in the faint breeze. A quick, brisk tune was struck up on the ground and soon other instruments joined in, a harp and a flute and an assortment of instruments that Link had never heard before, with the Koroks dancing furiously on the grass, weaving in between each other, the flames of the candles braiding into each other in one intricate pattern.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Zelda asked, sliding onto a branch next to him. Her hair glowed gold in the candlelight and her eyes shone with a thousand tongues of flame.

"Amazing." Link replied, watching as a small Korok slid down a vine to light a series of candles on a distant branch. Small pinpricks of light burst into existence along the branch and in one smooth motion the Korok spun back onto the vine and out of sight.

"Link, look!" Zelda whispered, her voice laced with wonder as she stared up at the sky. He followed her gaze up to the lanterns were released from their tethers and strained skyward, floating up lazily, a thousand colors, a thousand beacons into the star-filled skies.

"What's this festival for, anyways?" Link asked as he watched some lanterns soaring past him and into the vines, pushing gently through the ivy and into the inky night. The air was filled with lanterns, lighting up the chilly night with their glow, and Link turned on his perch to see Zelda staring past him at the lights.

"It's for the advent of the Hero. A homecoming, of sorts." Zelda's voice was soft and as warm as the lantern's glow when she spoke.

"For _me?"_ Link asked, swinging forward on his vine and snatching a lantern out of the air. He pivoted and offered it to Zelda, who blushed and accepted it. A swath of silk was wrapped around the paper of the lantern, illuminating the flecks of gold and deep scarlet in the fabric. Raising her arm, Zelda released the lantern into the sky.

"If you didn't realize it, you're kind of a big deal." She retorted, although her tone was light.

Link leaned his head back to stare at the sky again. A red lantern caught his eye, burning brightly in the deep black of the sky, the color of flames, laced with mellow oranges and yellows that flickered across the lantern's surface.

"Hey, look at that one!" He pointed, and when he turned to look again the lantern looked even larger than before. It wasn't rising to the sky, it was falling to the Forest Village.

"Link, get back!" Zelda yelled, jumping from her perch and yanking him back into the room with force. Shouting in protest, Link pulled himself from the floor and stared out the window as the first firebomb struck the Forest Village, and the festival of light erupted into flame.

 ***cue CSI 'yeeaaaaaaaaaaaaah***

 **Actually, no, that would not be a 'yeeaaaaaaaaaaaah' moment. More like a 'whaaaaaaaaaaaat?'**

 **Today's donations go to OH GOD NO SAVE THE KOROKS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WE NEED TO HELP THE FOREST VILLAGE OMG CLIFFHANGER Foundation. Every review, favorite and follow counts! Only _you_ can prevent Forest Village Fires.**

 **Smokey the Bear makes a cameo, I see. Anyways, reviews would be much appreciated. We hit 50 reviews! Thank you all so (x1000 'so's) much!**

 **Until next time, then! (dun dun dunnn... cliffhanger noises)**


	21. Blast Burn

**AUGH NO THE KOROKS WHATSOEVER WILL WE DO JUST READ MY WONDERFUL PEOPLE READ ON!**

The bombs struck the forest with the force of an earthquake, and Link was thrown from the window with the sheer power of the blast. In a moment the entire village was blanketed in broiling heat and Link risked a glance out the window again to see the trees and ground cloaked in swaths of flame.

"Get down from here!" Zelda yelled from behind him, and Link pulled out the Deku Leaf, searching for a safe place to land, but Zelda simply shoved him out the door and they careened down to the ground. Dodging burning bridges and flaming lanterns, Link kicked out at withering wood and slowly picked his way down to the forest floor. A sharp cry echoed above him and Link looked through the smoking canopy to see a strange mix of bomber airplanes and Loftwings soaring around the sky, preparing for the next attack.

Thankfully, he landed on a flame-less patch of grass and pivoted to see Zelda lurching down from the sky, her Deku Leaf edged with tongues of flame.

"Jump!" He shouted to her, and her eyes flashed with panic. Bracing himself, Link raised his arms as Zelda let go of her Deku Leaf and jolted towards him, landing safely in his arms. With a grunt Link set her down and spun around, searching for a safe way out of the blaze.

Koroks were shrieking in terror, fluttering left and right, trying to dodge the blaze, calling out names of family and friends. A screaming whine echoed from above and Link roared, "Get down!" When another volley of bombs crashed into the village, tearing down bridges and searing through the bark of trees, spurting lava and fire. The blast threw Link to the side and he scrambled to his feet, thick black smoke obscuring his vision. A young Korok scrambled past him, sobbing profusely, and dove into the soot.

"Link!" Zelda cried out, and she plunged through the smoke and snatched his hand, tugging him to the edge of the Forest Village near the Great Deku Tree. "This way!"

Dodging smoking, spluttering flames, Koroks and roots was no easy feat, so he and Zelda carefully picked their way back to the other end of the village. The scene of joy at the lantern-lighting was no longer filled with festivity, but instead with abandoned lanterns, overturned, half-burned shops, and a tree canopy of pure fire. Link realized that if the blaze didn't kill them then the thick, black smoke would. It was already filling the air and choking out the remaining oxygen.

"We have to get out of here, _now!_ " Link shouted to Zelda, and she shoved him towards one of the larger trees when the screaming of the bombs pierced through the screams and moans of the Koroks. One missile struck so close to them that Link's teeth rattled with the explosion, and the spout of fire that burst from the casing nearly barbecued them. A shrill screech sounded from the middle of the clearing and Link watched a Korok struggling to free itself from a fallen bridge. He stepped forward to aid it when Zelda tugged him back. Twisting to face her and protest, his attention was drawn back to the Korok when a massive branch crashed onto the bridge. The screaming stopped.

"Holy Din." Link whispered, and Zelda dragged him away again.

"Come on, we have to keep moving. Let's _go!"_ She hissed, and Link ducked as another branch tumbled to the forest floor, bringing down an inferno with it. The heat from the blaze was choking and Link was suddenly not too keen on the clothes of the Hero, which were as well-insulated as they were fortified, a trait that certainly wasn't comfortable in the boiling heat.

The last remnants of the festival were purged in flame. Link's boot punctured the shell of a lantern and he kicked it off, forcing himself to keep moving, keep running. All around him branches were falling on the Koroks, their houses plunging to the earth, crushed under the bonfire.

 _We destroyed them._

The thought resounded in Link's head as he leaped over burning logs and dodged tree branches, crawled behind abandoned, smoking shops and watched a Korok draw its last breath. _We did this. I killed them._

"Mama!" A childish voice whispered through the roar of the flames and the scream of the bombs, and Link turned to see a tiny Korok kneeling next to the broken, prone form of an older Korok, frozen in death. "Mama?"

"Link, come..." Zelda's voice trailed off when she saw the scene and she gasped, drawing a hand to her mouth. "Oh, no..."

"Mama, you have to get up. We have to go!" The Korok squeaked, pulling at the fallen Korok's arm. "Come on, Mama, let's go home!"

As Link watched the realization struck the Korok and it crumpled, bawling into its mother's arms, its cries dwarfed by the hiss and crackling of the blaze. Zelda let out a short sob and buried her face in Link's shoulder, trembling, and Link held her there, as still and solid as stone, simply watching the young Korok grieve.

Finally a shrill, high-pitched whistling echoed from the sky and Zelda raised her head, eyes widening in shock and terror. "Get down!" She screamed, jumping for the shelter of the thick, gnarled roots of the nearest tree when another bomb dug into the forest village and detonated, but instead of an eruption of fire a mushroom of dirt and tree roots was launched into the air, digging an enormous crater into the forest floor. A sharp snapping sound echoed from the tree and Link watched as it began to tilt forward, easily as large as a skyscraper back in Castle Town, and slowly collapsed to the ground, making the ground shake and sending up another chorus of screams and cries.

"Link!" The voice was remarkably clear in the haze of noise and fire, and Link turned to see the body of Alder, pinned by a branch, leaf-like face contorted in pain. Link darted to Alder's side and strained at the branch, struggling to free the Korok, but a sharp voice froze him.

"Link – Hero – stop. You know it's no use." Alder whispered, and his voice was eerily feeble and trembling, no longer the strong Korok Link had known. "I am old, and my time has come. But you have a legacy to live. You must flee!"

"Alder, I..." Link swallowed, trying to collect his thoughts. "I can't thank you enough. And this is how I repay you with your kindness..." He turned his face away, not wanting Alder to see the weakness on the face of the Hero. _The real Hero wouldn't show weakness. He would be strong._

"My boy, Gangstadorf has been hunting us for decades. He would have found us eventually, and then what? The Deku Leaf, the clothes of the Hero, all would have been for naught. While I can't say this has been an optimal ending –" The Korok coughed, then continued – "It is for the best. I am proud that we have passed the legacy of the Hero onto you. Be strong, Link. Make the Koroks proud."

Link stared into Alder's eyes, those proud, fierce black eyes, and watched as the expression drained out of them. Soon only a glassy reflection stared back at him.

"Alder?" Zelda asked, kneeling behind him, and Link shook his head, a thousand emotions burning inside of him with the intensity of an inferno.

"He's gone." He replied roughly, then stood and started to run for the Great Deku Tree, with Zelda at his heels.

The flames had risen in intensity and height, making traversing the forest floor almost impossible, but Link picked his way through the smoking wreckage, dodging Koroks and keeping his head below the choking belt of smoke that wreathed the village. His vision wavered with the heat and he knew they had to get out of the village as soon as possible. If they waited any longer they would be trapped in this burning coffin for good.

Another missile struck the ground far behind them and Link heard the blast shatter the earth, tearing up the ground as it burrowed into the dirt and ruptured with an explosion and a shattering _boom._ The screams of the Koroks were momentarily silenced, frozen in terror, then resumed with reckless abandon, shouting names, screams of pain, or cries for help, all blending together into one eerie tune of desperation and terror.

"Go!" Zelda shouted at him, and he dove behind the Great Deku Tree and plunged into the cool of the forest, the chilled air a welcome relief from the broiling heat of the fire behind him, but before he could truly appreciate it Zelda was yanking him away sprinting with all of her might away from the Forest Village, leaving the ashes behind. The fresh air was welcome, too, and Link took a deep breath before plunging into the woods after her, keeping his head low instinctively, remembering the searing heat of the flames.

It seemed like they ran for miles before Zelda paused, hands on her knees and breathing hard. Link took the opportunity to scramble up one of the nearby trees and watch the Loftwings and planes circling a beacon of flame, cinders leaping from the flames, crumbling ashes. He was about to turn and tell Zelda when a brilliant fire caught his eye and he watched as Gangstadorf's men launched their full assault.

Bombs fell like shooting stars towards the earth, comets with tails of fire, so close to each other the sky appeared to be painted with a stroke of red and orange. The first bombs connected with the ground with enough force to make the tree Link was standing on rattle and shake, and the rest blasted into the village in a single tongue of flame, burning and scorching and _ending._ The Forest Village was gone. The Koroks were gone, all in one fell stroke.

Link climbed back down the tree, suddenly numb, and Zelda read his expression carefully, her own face grim and streaked with ash. They were silent for a moment before Link spoke, his own voice sounding alien in the silence.

"It's my fault."

Zelda let out a short breath, looking angry and exasperated. "You can't say that, Link."

"Oh, yeah?" Link jumped to his feet, anger surging over him in waves, spiking through his veins. "That lantern festival showed Gangstadorf where they were, right?"

He waited for an answer until Zelda lowered his head, shoulders hunched. "Probably, yes."

"It was my stupid festival, princess! They were doing it for _me._ So don't tell me it's not my fault."

"You don't think they knew the risk?" Zelda's head suddenly snapped upright, eyes flashing with tears and anger. "You don't think Alder knew what he was doing? Of _course_ Gangstadorf would have known where they were if they did the lantern festival, Alder wasn't stupid. He knew the risk and he took it."

"Why? Why did he?" Link threw up his hands in exasperation then dragged them through his hair until his scalp stung. "I never wanted any of this! I never wanted to endanger him or his people, and now they're _dead_ because of me. Why?"

Zelda was quiet again, but when she spoke her voice was firm. "Alder knew what he was doing. You gave his people hope, Link. You gave them someone to fight for. Now you're a rallying point. Did you hear what he said about his scouts? He sent them out to alert the world of your presence. Do you see what he did for you? Now the rumors are going to spread, and in that getup you'll attract a lot of attention. Think about it. Alder set the ball rolling, and now you've got momentum. The people will want to follow their Hero, and before you know it you've got a rebellion. Do you see what Alder did for you now?"

It was Link's turn to be silent. He sat down slowly on the ground and let out a slow breath, leaning his head back against the trunk of a tree. The smell of burning wood lingered on his clothes and carried in the wind, but it was the only reminder of the Forest Village left.

"Alder gave you a chance. Don't squander it." Zelda finished her speech and Link clapped sarcastically, although his anger was already starting to dissipate.

"I don't think anyone has used the word squander since, I don't know, a million years ago." He laughed, and her lips twisted into a small smile. _It's a start._

Another minute of silence, then Link spoke up again. "How do you get over it?"

"What?" Zelda asked, midway through pulling her map out of her pouch.

"Gangstadorf killed your father, right? Sorry, that sounded really blunt. What I mean to say is, how do you get over it, death?"

Sliding the map back into her pouch, Zelda sat back, crossing her legs. Link watched emotions flicker across her face, but her voice was calm when she spoke.

"You really don't. I loved my father, and when he passed I was a wreck. Impa was always getting onto me for it, saying I wasn't some weakling kid who couldn't deal with her own problems." Zelda smiled ruefully. "She told me not to put my father behind me, not to forget him. Instead, I carry him with me. Even if he can't be here with me right now, I know he's still here." She rested a hand on her chest, then laughed. "I know what you're going to say, it sounds really cheesy. But it's what I've done with my dad and my mom. I never really knew her, but I loved my dad a lot, and whatever I do I know I'm making them proud. So, that's how I deal with it. Sorry for the speech."

"What was it like in the Castle Skyscraper? Not to bring back any bad memories or anything, I was just wondering." Link asked, brushing the ash off of his boots. _The ashes of the Forest Village._

"Terrifying, most of the time. Every morning I'd have lessons with tutors, and I tried to get a lot of history in. That's how I know a lot about the temples and stuff, so I guess we can thank Gangstadorf for one thing."

"I guess we can."

"In the afternoons I'd have training with Impa. I passed her up with the bow a long time ago, but we did general stuff, like fitness and whatnot. That's helped a lot, too. But dinners were the worst – I was forced to sit at a table with Gangstadorf, in all his sleazy glory, and he'd drink wine and ask me about my day like we were father and daughter. I _hated_ it, and I despised him, because he was the one who killed my father, and now he's trying to replace him? He was so oily and refined, you should have seen him, gloating at how weak I was, how I would bend over at his every whim. That's why I ran – to get away from him, yes, but also to show him that I'm stronger than he thinks. Seeing his phantom in that temple... It was almost like seeing him again, those jeering taunts I'd have to suffer through."

"I'm an idiot." Link replied simply, and Zelda looked up at him, confused.

"What?"

"Hey, I thought you were going to agree. Well, this is encouraging!" He grinned and Zelda shook her head.

"I think I know well enough how big of an idiot you are. Please, continue."

Link nodded, then his expression sobered. "I keep thinking this is all about me, but I never ask about you. I'm sure the Forest Village was difficult for you, too, and then I go one some rage-filled tantrum about how it's all my fault. I'm sorry for being so big-headed."

Zelda accepted his apology with a nod of her head and the silence in the forest was restored for a moment before Link spoke again.

"They're dead. All of them, burned to death. I can't believe it."

"Listen, Link, I don't want to blow you or any of the Koroks off, but don't let their bog you down. Use their deaths as fuel for your motives. Who killed them?"

Link's heart hardened when he replied, suddenly steeled. "Gangstadorf. I will _kill_ him for this."

"Glad we're on the same page. Now, come on. We don't want to attract the attention of those bombs. Let's get back to Epona and find that sacred flame."

"I hear you, princess." Link replied, pulling himself to his feet. "I'm ready to shove the Master Sword into Gangstadorf's ugly mug."

"That makes two of us." She muttered, dragging a sleeve across her face, only smearing the ash. Any of it could be the ash of the deceased Koroks, and Link shuddered with the thought.

After walking about a mile Zelda wheeled on him, and he was surprised to see tears coursing down her cheeks. Blue eyes shining like jewels, she fixed him with a burning glare and launched herself into his arms, shuddering with sobs, and he knelt along with her, allowing himself to break down on the forest floor, reliving all of the pain of the last hour with her, holding her so tightly he could feel her beating heart against his. She cried into his shoulder and he wrapped his arms around her back, each clinging to the other like a lifeline, a glimmer of light in the darkness, and even after Zelda's sobs had subsided he clung to her. Keeping her close, her fiery spirit burning away the chill of the loss.

"I'm sorry." She whispered thickly. "It's just..." Biting her lip, she trailed off, fresh tears sparkling in her eyes.

"I know." Link murmured. "I know, princess."

Closing her eyes and resting her head on Link's shoulder, she took a slow breath, then grabbed Link's hands and pulled him upright.

"Link, I need you to do something for me." Her jaw was set and Link had half the mind to draw the Goddess Sword, because whatever Zelda was about to do, she was serious about it.

"Sure, princess, whatever you need." He replied, already reaching for the sword, but Zelda's next words froze him in an instant.

"Kiss me."

Slowly a grin spread across Link's face and he lowered his arm. "Gladly, your highness."

She wrinkled her nose at him and then drew him close, at first gently pressing her lips against his, then leaning into him, hands tousling his hair, and his own hands found her golden tresses. Her sweet breath and smile pressed against his and he was smiling too, pulling Zelda closer to him, her warmth and strength merging into his, making one.

It was better than the first kiss, when he had been wounded on the temple floor.

Now they were broken again, but in a different way altogether, and together they could mend and become whole.

 **The Tragedy/Romance/Awkward Comedy/Cheesy AF-ness is strong with this one. Anyways, sorry this is a little later than usual, I was busy wasting time. :)**

 **Donations go to the Refugee Fund of the Forest Village (RFFV Fund) in order to bring surviving Koroks back on their feet and in stable environments again. Although with Gangstadorf about, who knows if there even is a stable environment anymore? Or charities? All this to say, it would mean so much to me if you would review, favorite, follow, etc. I 3 your feedback!**

 **SooooOooOO yes let's wrap things up. I hope you're enjoying this story so far and see you next week!**

 **Until next time!**


	22. An Intimate Question

**Welcome back to Remnants! As always, I can't thank you enough for coming back for more :)**

 **As for the initial orders of business, they can wait. Read on!**

Once again, Zelda treated The Kiss like taboo, refusing to bring it up under any circumstances. Not that Link was trying to bring it up to her or anything. It would just sort of happen.

"I wonder if any of the Koroks escaped..."

"So, about last night..."

Finally Zelda grew so fed up with his pestering that she threatened to paste his mouth shut at the next available opportunity, and Link quickly shut his mouth. Knowing Zelda, this was no empty threat, and he happened to like the ability to speak enough to restrain himself from mentioning the kiss.

"Where to next?" This was a safe topic, although the memory of the paste threat was still fresh in Link's mind, and thankfully Zelda answered without mentioning any hostile glue-involved activities.

"Well, here on the map it says the next flame is located in the Midoro Swamp." Withdrawing her map, Zelda pointed to a small section on the map close to the desert, inconveniently located on the opposite side of Hyrule. _Perfect._ The lush greens of the forest were a stark contrast to the murky mustard-browns and rotting yellows that dappled the area of the swamp, and Link's heart sank.

"Sounds like a nice place for a vacation, although let's not reiterate the Epona gig, okay?" Link shoved aside a large clump of dangling vines as Zelda passed, still engrossed in the details of the map.

"I don't know too much about this place. Too bad we can't do any research." Her voice was genuinely disappointed and Link inwardly celebrated.

"Oh, yeah, terrible shame, really awful. Brings a tear to my eye. Anyways, how far do you think it will take to get there?" Link tried to judge the distances over Zelda's shoulder, but before he could she had folded the map and placed in back in her pouch.

"Maybe a day? I wonder if we can find an inn or somewhere to stay." Her nose wrinkled and Link could tell she wasn't too keen on visiting any of the lesser establishments that Hyrule Field had to offer. Link had heard the rumors about sleazy innkeepers and the terrible conditions of their lodging – with angry customers intentionally urinating in their beds because the inn had provided poor service. No way would Zelda take one step into that place, and no way was he sleeping in a prior guest's excrement.

They lapsed into silence again, Link focusing on chopping down the hanging vines in their way and Zelda following his lead, occasionally adjusting their course to intersect the highway.

"You know, if all of these wonderful people are so intent on helping the Heroes of the future, couldn't they have made paved roads or something?" He grumbled, dislodging the Goddess Sword from a particularly thick vine.

Zelda's light laugh echoed from behind him. "It would be nice, right?"

"Nice? It would be a godsend. Or a goddess-send, I guess." Link mused, ducking under a low-hanging bough and holding it above Zelda's head.

"Thank you, good sir." She teased, giving him a short curtsy, which was difficult in pants, but she managed to make it look graceful. The thought reminded Link of a question he had been wondering about for a while now and he decided to voice it. _Might as well ask now._

"Hey, princess, what's it like with all of the court life?"

She turned to him sharply, but her features were amused, not wounded. "Why do you care? Sorry, that sounded rude. Why does it interest you?"

Link shrugged, then let a slow grin spread over his face. "Just thought I might catch up on court fashion. For when I become king of Hyrule, of course."

"Oh, of course." Zelda's face was serious but her eyes sparkled with humor. "I'm sure you'll lead Hyrule to a golden age. Well, I haven't experienced a lot of it recently – you know, all of the 'princess' stuff, but I remember some of it from when my father was ruling. Balls and noble families are kind of outdated, but I do remember one party we once held" She suddenly paused, nostalgia in her eyes. "My father sent out an invitation to anyone in Hyrule who wanted to attend. The ballroom was full to bursting, there was almost no room to move, with everyone in their best. It was incredible. There would be people with holes in the soles of their shoes, but the leather was shined to perfection. The simplest dresses looked like flowing ball gowns. Oh, Link, you should have been there!"

Her voice had risen with excitement and he watched her next steps, graceful like a dance rhythm.

"We could have danced." He joked, but Zelda's short hair shook as she nodded.

"I can't even remember how many people I danced with, more than I can count. Each of them had a story. And my father made them know that they were valuable. That the king and his daughter were their equals."

"Yeah, Gangstadorf's doing a great job of that." Link kicked at a stone and it rocketed into a pack of thistles, leaves rustling with a sound almost of scorn.

"Exactly. After my father... Well, you know. After he passed Gangstadorf severed all ties with the people. Bonds of friendship became bonds of fear. I was cooped up in his ugly Skyscraper, every thought determined on getting out. That's why I was so surprised when I saw Hyrule up close and personal, the first time I met you. I remembered that beautiful, shabby ball my father hosted, not the oppression I saw."

"Makes sense." Link commented, aiming a kick at another rock.

"What about you?"

The question took him by surprise and he froze mid-kick, glancing up to see Zelda watching him carefully. "What about me?" He asked, lowering his leg slowly.

"I've told my family story. Now it's your turn."

Link scowled and turned away, eyes fixed on the trees to his left, anywhere but Zelda's inquiring eyes. "I'm nobody, princess. That's all there is." His tone was harsh and he knew it, but he wanted to keep Zelda's attention away from the topic.

"You're not getting off the hook that easily, _Hero."_ She taunted, and Link spun towards her, anger sparking over his body.

"Listen, princess, I don't know what delusions you still have about Hyrule, but not everyone has some charming-yet-shabby tale of their lives, okay? Certainly not me." Jabbing a thumb at his chest, Link felt his voice rise in intensity. "So don't ask." The last words were a barking order and Zelda shrunk back, recoiling with Link's sudden change of mood. Even the insects and the rushing of the wind seemed to withdraw, adding to the heated silence. Link glowering at the ground, Zelda's brows knit in confusion.

"Link..."

"Don't. Just don't." He held up a hand and she dipped her head, expressions a mask of calm.

"Okay, I won't ask."

The statement surprised Link, who had expected more a fight, but Zelda seemed willing to back off when he wanted her to. A tiny flicker of shame burned in him – after all, Zelda had pretty much spilled her life story and here he was unwilling to tell her a fragment of his past. He quickly stamped out the rogue emotion, though, jaw tightening.

Zelda didn't get it. She thought the citizens of the city had quaint, life-is-rough-but-we'll-push-through existences that only thrived in movies. Link's past was more twisted and warped than she could imagine, and he wasn't about to reveal the darkest part of his life to her just on a whim. She had seen cruelty from Gangstadorf, but Link had see the oppression of thousands. The burning hunger after a bad day at the ring when you couldn't afford a meal, the blanket of depression and hopelessness that cloaked the slums, that same desperation that drove fighters to the ring. If they couldn't fight the system they would fight each other, and he knew firsthand how hard they were willing to punch.

"Hey... I'm sorry." Carefully placing her hand on Link's arm, Zelda looked up at him. Link felt the anger rush out of him in a wave, but forced a scowl on his face again. "I overstepped my boundaries. I'm sorry, and it won't happen again."

Her tone was sincere and Link knew he couldn't stay mad at her forever, so he slowly dropped his facade and let out a sigh. "It's fine."

Unfortunately, he had scared Zelda away from trying to start up conversation, so much of the journey back was conducted in silence. Without anything to distract him Link found himself focusing on the discomfort of traveling by foot – fatigue and soreness, to name a few. Given that there was a mutual silent treatment established between him and Zelda, he wouldn't dream of asking to rest, so they tiredly plodded on through the forest, with Zelda occasionally checking her map the only disturbance in the eerie silence.

"I can't stand it!"

He didn't realize that Zelda had turned to face him until he ran into her head-on. Stepping back and mumbling an apology, he raised his eyes to meet her glowering gaze.

"I can't stand not talking to you. Can we just bury the hatchet already? I'm sorry, I really am!" Despair crept into her voice and Link looked away, slightly embarrassed.

"Okay, princess, you win. What do you want to talk about?" He gave in and watched as Zelda's eyes lit up again.

"Great! I mean, I don't know, what do you want to talk about? I mean... Oh, goddesses, I sound like an idiot." She laughed and shook her head. "You know what? We've been traveling together for a while and I still don't know what your favorite color is."

"Favorite color?" Link held up his hands in defense. "Wow, princess, you're really pushing it. That's a very intimate question there."

"Just answer it!" She nudged him with her shoulder.

"Fine. I know this is going to sound blasphemous coming from the green-clad Hero, but my favorite color is blue." His eyes shot to her eyes – her notably _blue_ eyes – as they met his, laughter sparkling in her irises.

"That is blasphemy! I can't believe you. Well, if you were wondering, my favorite color is purple." She kicked at a rock like he had done previously, watching as it spiraled into the bushes.

They crossed a small creek and clambered up onto the opposite bank, Zelda talking all the while. Link was tempted to bring up the paste threat but refrained from it, simply listening to her ramble on.

"I wonder what the next temple will be like. It's in a marsh, but I don't know if that means it'll be deteriorated or not. What do you think? All of the temples have been pretty shoddy – no offense or anything to the golden goddesses, but you'd think they'd put the upkeep of their temples higher on their priorities list, you know? This temple will be dedicated to Din, goddess of power. I've read books on the personalities of the goddesses, and Din is supposed to kind of be the feisty one. Nayru is more staid, and Farore was supposed to be more bubbly and a little more childish. Of course, I don't know how accurate that is. It was just a book."

Link stroked his chin in an imitation of deep thought. "So, does that mean we'll have feisty puzzles or something?"

"Not really what I was going for, but sure." Zelda shrugged. "What does a feisty puzzle look like?"

"Oh, I dunno – maybe with lava or something. Hey, I want that Fire Rod! Sounds feisty enough, right?"

Zelda raised her eyebrows. "Lava in a swamp. Totally realistic."

Raising a finger in protest, Link shook his head. "If you had told me a few weeks ago that I would soon be dangling from hovering root-creatures above a desert by clawed gloves I would have called you crazy. We can't eliminate any options here."

"Let me add it to my list." Zelda flourished her hands in an elaborate gesture of writing something in the air. "Lava puzzles in the swamp. Satisfied?"

"Quite." Link imitated a stuffy accent and Zelda giggled.

"You sound just like my father's old accountant. He would always speak in this nasally voice, and he could put you to sleep in a minute just listening to him drone on."

"Well then, princess," Still talking in an accent, Link winked, "Can I interest you in budget managing? Or perhaps the stock exchange, I hear it's quite the lively topic this time of year..."

"Stop, you're going to bore me to death!" Zelda protested, running a few steps away. "Besides, who will lead you around to temples and solve puzzles for you?"

 _Just roll with the punches._ "You may think you're _so_ clever, miss Triforce of Wisdom, but we'd still be stuck at the feet of Farore's statue if it wasn't for me. You think you would have even got out of the city without me?"

"Oh, is this a touchy subject? I'm sorry if I hurt your little feelings, mister Triforce of Courage." Matching his tone perfectly, Zelda jabbed right back.

"My little feelings are deeply wounded." Placing a hand on his chest, Link faked offense. "But I'll overlook your blatant insult just this once."

"You're too kind."

Another few minutes of silence. Like the formula for being the Hero in general, Link was beginning to develop a theory for hiking conversation – talking, then silence, and repeat. His idea was affirmed when Zelda spoke up minutes later, the levity in her tone gone.

"Do you ever get scared?"

"I told you before, princess. Triforce of Courage! Scared of nothing!" Summoning every scrap of phony bravado he could muster, Link puffed out his chest and saluted smartly. Batting his hand away, Zelda shook her head, a small smile on her face.

"I'm serious. Does it ever scare you? Gangstadorf on our tails, willing to kill us without a second thought? Those vine monsters and the Anubis..." She shuddered and Link stepped in, wrapping an arm around her. He expected her to pull away but she leaned into his shoulder, glancing up at him through her lashes.

"Princess, you get to living in Castle Town for a while, nothing scares you anymore. Ghostlike Anubis beasts? Whatever. Parasite-infested skeletons of long-dead beasts? Been there, done that. And Gangstadorf? Don't make me laugh."

Zelda did the unthinkable. She laughed.

"What's so funny?" He demanded. _Did you not hear what I just said?_

"Nothing!" She gasped, then pulled away from him grip, still chuckling. "Link, you're so impenetrable. Everything that comes at you, you just bat away without a blink and with a snappy line of banter."

"Just doing my job, Zel." He gave her a mock two-fingered salute, which she imitated.

She suddenly froze, about to speak, then angled her head towards him, a playful smile on her lips. "You called me Zel."

"Should I add this to my list of positive traits? Not mute? So?"

"Nothing, nothing. It's just that you've never called me Zel before, that's all."

Rolling his eyes, Link let out an exasperated breath. "Do you prefer princess? It has a nice ring to it."

"Of course, I do, _Epona."_ She taunted, then her tone sobered. "And Link, we don't have to worry about the temples or anything, right?"

"Nah. Don't worry, you can't get rid of me that easily."

"You're not so repulsive yourself." She quipped.

"Gee, thanks. And are you sure you're not just reassuring yourself?" He replied sarcastically, slightly and surprisingly heartened.

"Positive. And even better news." Zelda pointed to the trees ahead of them, which were thinning notably. A vague hum rumbled in the distance, the whisper of a sound enough to lighten Link's mood considerably – the roar of an engine. They had reached the highway.

"Well, ready for another adventure?" Zelda stepped forward, smiling as she did so. "Next stop, Midoro Swamp."

 **Actually 110% dialogue, but you know.**

 **Okay so the 'urinating in the bed' gag is actually a real thing, from ancient Roman graffiti. It reads, and I quote, "Innkeeper, I urniated in the bed. Want to know why? There was no mattress!" To be honest I thought it was pretty hilarious...**

 **Donations go to the 'Hire Kylo Ren to read Link's mind and discover the dark secrets and stuff he holds like he did to Poe in The Force Awakens because wow angsty characters and all' Foundation! Or, you can send your gifts of reviews, favorites and follows to the 'Better Foundation Names' Association. Because the first one is pretty lengthy.**

 **I know this author's note is getting long, so I'll wrap up for now. As always thank you for reading, my wonderful amazing readers, and until next time!**


	23. Close Encounters of the Forest Golem

**Friday afternoons are the best time in the week - can I get a second on that?**

 **Anyways, welcome back! I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you'll like it as much as I do. Read on!**

Link could smell the swamp before it came into sight, which wasn't a good sign.

The wafting scent of rotting meat and mold was enough to almost make him gag, and Zelda groaned from behind him as soon as the smell hit them.

"Ugh, this is vile." She muttered, and Link shook his head.

"Vile? More like someone vomiting into a dead body while skunks violently attack them." He protested, and Zelda laughed.

"Thanks for the translation, Hero."

"Anytime, princess."

As the stench of the marsh intensified the ground began to give way to swirling mud and crooked trees, interspersed just close enough to keep Link occupied with not crashing into them. Stagnant water buzzing with flies crept closer to the motorcycle's wheels, and once they reached a relatively sturdy area he leaned Epona against a tree.

"I don't want us to get stuck in the mud somewhere." He explained to Zelda, who observed their surroundings with scrutiny.

"You're right, but what about us?" To demonstrate she stepped into the muddy, waterlogged ground and as Link watched her boot sank into the mire up to her ankle. With some difficulty she extracted herself from her position, her boot encased in a shell of mud.

"Good point."

Zelda crossed her arms, but before she could offer some random and doomed-to-fail plan Link snapped his fingers in a _eureka_ moment. "The Hookshots! We'll each take one and go from tree to tree!" He declared, one hand already reaching back to take out the clawed gloves.

Zelda frowned, her gaze shooting to the trees. "Do you think they'll be able to hold us?" She asked. The branches of the trees were soaked in water and sheathed in moss. They probably hadn't had to hold any weight in their entire existence. Besides, falling into the mud would be a painful and severely unhygienic experience. Even so, Link wasn't letting logic get in the way of his ingenious plan.

"There's only one way to find out." Turning to the tree, he reached up and grabbed a branch near the bottom of the trunk, then pulled himself up into the crook of two branches, limp leaves swaying and dangling above his head. Zelda still looked skeptical, but she allowed him to help her up into the boughs. Withdrawing her map, the tilted it and pointed in front of them.

"This way to the temple. Although..." She trailed off, biting her lip, and Link tried to get a look at the map before she tugged it away and shoved it into her pouch.

"What? Is there a warning sign: DANGER: Hylian-Eating Rabid Squirrels? Should I be worried?" Rabid squirrels did sound pretty intimidating.

"It's fine." Zelda brushed off his comment airily, then tugged the Hookshot onto her arm. "Race you to that tree?"

"You're on." Link's eyes narrowed and he leveled the Hookshot at a tree, then rocketed towards the trunk before Zelda could respond.

After only a few minutes of shooting from tree to tree Link noticed a definite change in the landscape. The mud gave way to a few inches of scummy, algae-infested water, and the trees were all in various stages of decay. A dull mist snaked through the trees and the sun was slowly blotted out by thick clouds, adding a chill to the air. If possible the smell had worsened, but he was slowly growing used to it. Every moan from a creaking tree branch echoed a thousand times over in the silence, and the shifting shadows cast by the mist seemed to disguise another variety of monsters ready to devour him. No way was Link becoming swamp sludge.

The first sign of trouble was the largest spider Link had ever seen, and he just so happened to slam into it.

A hissing and spitting reverberated in Link's ears and he scrambled back as the gargantuan insect pivoted. Spindly legs arching and contracting, the creature turned, beady eyes fixing on him. Link jumped back onto another branch, which gave a threatening crack under his feet but didn't break, and slowly drew the Goddess Sword. The blade emanated a white light in the overcast semi-darkness, and the spider shied away from the glow, pincers clicking threateningly. Link struck out at the spider's hard shell, which was eerily pigmented and shaped like a skull, but the blade ricocheted off and the creature scuttled back, uninjured.

Risking a glance upward, Link saw the faintest reflection of light above him. A thin filament stretched up to another branch, on which the spider hung and bounced, still ready to attack. In one swift motion he jumped forward and sliced through the string. The effect was instantaneous – the spider collapsed to the branches, legs scuttling and struggling for balance. Lashing out with his boot, Link kicked the insect in its face and knocked it backwards, where it lay prone on a nearby branch, flailing helplessly in the air. The Goddess Sword slashed down in an arc of white and Link winced as a splash of green, gooey liquid splattered across the tree. With one lasting hiss the spider fell limp and dissipated into a wisp of purple smoke. Five rupees replaced it and Link picked up the money carefully, almost expecting it to bite.

"The Goddesses are smiling on us today!" He waved the rupee at Zelda as she approached on the Hookshot.

"You know you're covered in Skulltula guts, right?" She pointed out, gesturing the Hookshot at him, and he glanced down to see the mucus-like substance running down the front of his new tunic. Carefully he scraped what he could off with the Goddess Sword, head turned away to avoid the smell.

"If someone opened up a perfume store here they would make a killing." He noted as he scrubbed the goo off of the blade.

"Well, that can be your business enterprise after all of this Hero stuff." Zelda suggested, using her Hookshot to wipe off a particularly large patch of the monster guts on his sleeve.

"I guess I never thought about that." It was an offhand comment, but also true. Honestly, Link had no idea what he was going to do in the future. He always figured he would make some money off of the fights, but it would only be a matter of time before he got too old or seriously injured to compete anymore. And then Zelda waltzed into his life...

"Those are Skulltulas." She informed him, nudging the spot where the spider had dangled with her toe. Link handed her the rupee and she placed it in her pouch.

"I think I prefer the term huge-ass spider." Link admitted, setting his jaw.

"Well apparently the spider's family is as big as his ass." Pointing to the trees, Zelda smiled slightly.

With a growing sense of dread Link looked ahead of him and saw the shapes of more Skulltulas dangling from the branches, white skull-shaped exoskeletons a stark contrast against the mist. And there were a _lot_ of them.

"Really?" Link groaned, then aimed his Hookshot at the nearest spider and fired.

The Skulltula, as it turned out, were very unfriendly to strangers. By the time the last of the spiders had been disposed of Link was covered from head to toe in Skulltula innards, which if anything added to the revolting stench of the swamp. Zelda, miraculously, stayed completely clean.

"You know, if you used arrows you could just shoot the Skulltulas and be done with it." She advised, wrinkling her nose when she got close to him.

"Wow, how could I forget my bow?" Link deadpanned, trying to remove some of the slime from his tunic. Zelda laughed and climbed up to a higher branch, scouting out the area in front of them. As Link was wiping the goo from his boots she clambered to the top of the tree, peering at the horizon.

"I think I see the temple from here... But there's something strange up ahead..." She shouted down from the branch, brows furrowed.

"Skulltula snot strange, or phantom Gangstadorf strange?" Link called back, scrubbing the slime from his new hat.

"You might want to see for yourself."

Pulling himself up to the top of the tree, Link reached the top of the branches to see a desolate wasteland before him.

The trees were torn to shreds, ripped and torn as if gouged by large claws. Shreds of tree bark scattered across the ground, leafy sprigs and stumps thrown and displaced across the clearing. The ground was scarred and smashed in with large shapes like footprints, and deep talons dug into the soft earth, hatching the mud. A low, rumbling crackle thundered across the area, trees slowly peeling apart by the force of the damage inflicted upon them.

"What happened here?" Zelda murmured, eyes wide as she surveyed the scene.

"Your guess is as good as mine, princess." Link whispered back. As he watched a lone Skulltulla scuttled through the wreckage, spindle-like legs picking through the stems and shoots of the debris.

"Whatever did this, it's still out there." Zelda's voice was soft when she spoke again.

Slowly climbing down the tree, Link placed his now-clean boots into the crooks of the branches and reached the marshy ground. The trees were too broken and scattered to use the Hookshot on, so he would have to cross the razed earth on foot.

"Look at how deep these claw marks are." Kneeling besides the gouges, Zelda pointed to the scarred mud.

"I don't think that was a Skulltula." Link carefully stepped over the marks.

"I think you're right." Zelda affirmed, following in his tracks.

The trail of destruction only grew as they followed in the wake of whatever had caused the wreckage. Entire trees had been torn from the earth, roots ripped from the soil and tossed aside like a flimsy weed. The scene was eerily quiet, so much silence in a realm of so much destruction. Only the sounds of a distant Skulltulas penetrated the hush. Suddenly on edge, Link pulled out the Goddess Sword, muscles tensed and ready.

"You okay?" Zelda came up behind him, reaching for her pouch at the sight of the drawn Goddess Sword.

"I don't know. It's just... Something about this place." He explained, sounding foolish, but Zelda nodded.

"I know what you mean."

Before he could reply a resounding impact echoed through the clearing, causing the marshy earth to rumble and quake. The breaking of tree branches crackled and Link raised the Goddess Sword, prepared to attack, when Zelda grabbed his arm and tugged him across the clearing.

"Move, now!" She hissed, and Link sheathed the sword and sprinted after her, the ground quaking under his feet.

"What is is?" He asked, then dodged behind the treeline as Zelda dragged him behind the shrubbery.

"Look!" Zelda whispered, angling her head to the right, and Link's jaw dropped when he saw the creature approaching.

It was easily as tall as an office building, with long claws longer than Link himself shaped from stalks of wood, carved and gouged. Long, timber-carved arms erupted from the hunched body, dragging on the ground. Each powerful appendage was formed from long shoots of tree ranches and bark, vines snaring along the arms like veins. A lumpy boulder formed the creature's chest, overgrown with leaves, chipped rocks and vines in a skein much like skin, patches of grasses erupting from the chest and back, weeds racing across the shoulders.

"What is _that?"_ Link gasped, all breath suddenly fleeing his lungs. The swamp creature was massive, lumbering through the clearing at a leisurely pace, claws dragging across the mud and slicing through thick tree boughs easily.

Zelda was silent and he glanced over to see her gaping at the creature, eyes as wide as saucers. There was a movement beside him and her hand shot into his. He held it firmly and stared as the creature stumbled past, fading away from the clearing and out of sight.

"Well, that was an adventure." Link's voice was suddenly far too loud in the silence and he wished he hadn't spoken. Besides, he would hate to draw that swamp creature back – those talons could cut him to ribbons.

"What was that?" Zelda echoed him, still staring at where the monster had stood.

"Guardian of the temple? Maybe we'll have to fight it eventually. Who knows?" Keeping his tone nonchalant, Link began to climb down to the ground again before he realized Zelda was still firmly gripping his hand. "Should we keep moving, princess?"

"Yes, of course. Sorry." She ducked her head as if embarrassed.

"I don't know about you, but that thing was pretty epic." Link admitted as he jumped to the ground, the soles of his boots slapping against the mud. "Have you ever seen anything like that? It was a like a giant sentient rock tree thing."

"Ah, our well-spoken young Hero." Zelda smirked and he crossed his arms.

"Well, what would you name it then? Wait, don't tell me – Epona."

Landing next to him, Zelda raised her Hookshot and aimed for another tree. "I think I like the sound of Forest Golem."

"Forest Golem." Link thought over the name for a second. "Well, you have to approval of the Hero. Although I'm still partial to 'giant sentient rock tree thing.'"

"What happens when it attacks you?" Zelda protested, lowering her Hookshot. "'Look out! It's a giant sentient rock tree thing!' Kind of a mouthful, don't you think?"

Shaking his head, Link raised his own Hookshot and pointed it at the same tree Zelda was. "It's got character."

The journey to the temple wasn't much further, and blissfully Skulltula-free. Slowly dull greenish water lapped over the swirling mud, and stunted trees struggled to force their way from the mire and reach sunlight. Rotted foliage jutted from the waters and flies buzzed around the surface of the water, but Link and Zelda avoided the sludge with the Hookshots. In the distance a structure began to take form, but it would take a while before they could fully see it. The mist was thickening as they got closer and closer to their destination, obscuring the scene even more than before.

"I feel bad for Din – kind of a gloomy place to have a temple, you know?" Link remarked as they scrambled over a fallen, half-rotten log crawling with maggots.

"None of the temples were in ideal locations. Think of the desert and the middle of the woods. I guess it's better for us, though. Gangstadorf would never venture out here." Replied Zelda, daintily stepping over a moldering stump and firing her Hookshot into another tree.

"I can envision it now, a line of resorts for the rich citizens of Hyrule. Like sunbathing? Come visit the sandstorm-plagued desert! How about secluded locations, where you can escape to and relax? We've got the Forest Resort for you! And, if you're a fan of the water, take a swamp tour! Kid-friendly, a trip for the whole family!" Link imitated an advertisement and gestured wildly to the scum-filled, odious area around them.

"I can see the appeal." Zelda admitted, then stopped Link before he shot the Hookshot into another tree. "And I think I see the temple from here, too."

A tiered structure began to emerge from the cloak of mist, wrapped in mossy, weathered columns and elegantly carved moldings lost to time. Yellowed swamp grass hung from the top of the temple like lank strands of hair, and bricks thatched their way up the side of the building, laddering on top of one another. The temple was surrounded by a shallow, murky pool, patterned with lily-pads and reeds, and a long-forsaken dock stretched from one side of the lake to the temple, collapsed under the surface of the water from years of disuse. The croaking of frogs hummed by the water, but the sound of the Forest Golem's footsteps was gone.

"The temple of Din." Zelda's tone was almost reverent. "Look what's become of it."

Link was about to add in a comment of how a resort would be the perfect thing to spice this area up but refrained from it. He didn't want to be struck down at the hands of Din or anything like that.

"Any idea of what's in there?" He wondered aloud, and Zelda shook her head.

"No clue."

"That's what I like to hear!" Forcing a grin on his face, Link stepped forward and offered his arm to Zelda. "Ready for another adventure, princess?"

A small smile twisted her lips and she took his arm. "Lead the way."

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the insectarium exhibit in the Castle Town Zoo, where Skulltula can be admired and studied by all. Share the magic of these *cough cough* delightful creatures by telling me what you thought of this chapter!**

 **Think the Forest Golem will pop up again? And what about Din's temple, any ideas for puzzles/bosses?**

 **Thanks a million for reading and I'll see you next chapter! Until next time! :)**


	24. Scream

**The brief moment of terror when you're internet is down... But we're all good now!**

 **Anyways, welcome back to Remnants. Read on, if you dare... *dun dun dunn***

The first thing Link noticed about the temple was the low humming and thrumming of some distant object. The tangy smell of metal lingered over the stench of the bog, and when light angled in from the high windows Link got a good view of the interior of the temple.

The area formed a cylinder, with a second floor above them indistinguishable from the walls save a thin balcony ringing the circumference of the room. The rumbling echoed from this floor, and when Link got a better look at the floor he noticed flat shapes circling around and around the balcony, almost like a ceiling fan.

"What is that?" He asked, and Zelda followed his gaze to the turning spokes.

"I think this might be some kind of mill. But look at the metal!" She pointed to one of the rotating spokes, rusted coppery and corroded with age. "Those certainly weren't made for this temple, they're too new."

"Did someone come in and change the temple?" Link asked, although it seemed impossible. He drew the Goddess Sword and the blade cast a glow around his surroundings, illuminating the scene.

"But who? I bet that Forest Golem scared them off." Zelda remarked, examining the blades with interest. "It looks like some sort of mill."

"A mill, huh? And... What would that be?" Keeping his eyes fixed on the spinning spokes, Link waited while Zelda explained.

"Oh, before modern technology people had to figure out a way to grind their grain into usable flour. They used water wheels by rivers to power the mills, and a stone would grind the grain. Voila, you've got flour."

Link narrowed his eyes at the spokes, still confused. "Sure, but where's the stone? And why would anyone use this place as a mill? There isn't even any grain around here."

For a moment Zelda was silent, and when he turned to her he saw the faintest trace of a smile on her face. "You know, you can be kind of smart sometimes, Hero."

"Believe me, I know." Link grinned. "Well, what do you say? I think we have some adventuring to do."

He hadn't taken two steps forward when a shadowed figure wheeled from the center of the room and screeched at him. Link pulled out his shield and held it at the ready, expecting some fierce monster, but when the figure came closer he saw it was only a Bokoblin. Its beady eyes were malevolent and it hoisted a halberd above its head, still screeching, and swung the weapon down at Link. He raised his shield to deflect the blow and pivoted, stabbing the Goddess Sword into the Bokoblin's side. With a final feeble screech it crumpled to the ground and dissolved into a wisp of smoke, leaving behind a single rupee, which Link pocketed quickly.

"I think I'm getting the hang of this Hero business." Link announced to Zelda when he turned to face her, and a wry smile lit her face.

"You may want to turn around." She advised, and he spun to face five more Bokoblins, all bigger and uglier than the first, bearing down at him at top speed.

Instead of panicking Link lowered himself into his stance, holding the Goddess Sword at the ready. The first Bokoblin came and leaped at him, its stubby feat clearing the ground by at least two feet before swinging its mace at Link's head. He batted the spiked ball away with his shield and plunged the Goddess Sword into its guts, dragging the blade out and kicking the beast away as it reeled about, life fading quickly.

The second Bokoblin was more wary to attack, sizing Link up from afar, but Link cleared the distance with a leap and slashed his blade across the monster's neck. Blood drained from the mortal wound and Link turned to face his next opponent, who wasted no time in slashing his sword at Link's shield, then at his exposed side. Turning to counter, Link raised the Goddess Sword to meet the Bokoblin's and shoved with his arms, knocking the monster back. He swiped for the Bokoblin's legs but the Goddess Sword was deflected, then found his mark and chopped at the Bokoblin's side. The Goddess Sword bit into the monster's flesh and it shrieked in pain, collapsing and dissolving quickly.

The next two Bokoblins attacked as a unit, one hacking at Link's sword arm and the other trying to draw his attention on his right side. Both were armed with scimitars, not unlike those of the Gerudo, but they were unskilled with the weapons and Link disarmed them easily, then cut through their stomachs.

With a dash of bravado he spun his blade in his hand and sheathed it, wondering if Zelda would appreciate his flair. She clapped sarcastically and gestured for him to go on.

The floor of the temple was, strangely, one large iron grate, blackened with a slimy film – Link didn't even want to know what it was made of. Below him water lapped at the stone walls, sloshing below the grate, and he wondered what purpose it served.

"Maybe a cesspool?" Zelda suggested when he voiced his concern, and Link frowned. He knew exactly what went into cesspools, and he was _not_ swimming in that filth. A few small grates lined the first floor, but other than that it was bare of decoration, and more importantly, ways up to explore the second floor. One of the grates was set higher than the others and Zelda peeked into it, then ushered Link over to see.

"Check this out!" She whispered, pointing through the grate, and Link glanced inside to see a rhythmic flash of brown passing by the grate every few seconds.

"What am I seeing?" He asked, and Zelda peered through the grate again.

"It's the water wheel!" Once she moved again Link recognized the structure, although it was hard to discern from the side view. "And this confirms our theory that this temple was modified – look at the wood, it's barely rotting. If this was really part of the original temple, it would be completely decomposed."

Link stepped back, crossing his arms. "That's all fine and good, but who – what are you doing?" He demanded as Zelda tugged at the bars of the grate. The rusty nails cracked after one sharp pull and she placed the metal to one side, then turned to him with a determined expression.

"I'm going to need a lift." She said simply, and Link raised an eyebrow.

"You're going in there?"

A flicker of irritation crossed her face. "And you have a better idea?"

"Yeah, how about we go back to Castle Town and get a hotel room, maybe some room service, change our names and enter witness protection..." Link grumbled, grudgingly helping Zelda into the vent. She turned in the small space and looked at him expectantly.

"Are you coming or not?" She was obviously trying to conceal it, but Link could see her lips forming a smile.

 _Oh, you really are evil._ "No way, princess. I wouldn't even fit, and I am in no mood to go crawling around in some ancient air vent." To emphasize his point he took a step back and held up his hands.

"You're coming up." Zelda ordered. And that was that.

The vent was a little tight, and Link was already sore from crawling on hands and knees through the space, but they reached the water wheel quickly. Zelda exited the vent by twisting around and perching on some of the decorative carvings that adorned the outside of the temple. Squinting in the bright light, Link followed suit, crouching on top of a gargoyle's head. He was busy having an internal argument about whether the gargoyle or the Bokoblins were uglier when Zelda pointed to the base of the water wheel, shoved hastily in to the wall.

"Look there. Is that a lever?"

"I think you might be right. Of course you're right. I amend my previous statement."

"Thanks for the compliment, but what do you think happens inside if we flip it?"

"I dare you." Link glanced at Zelda to see her response, and her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"I dare _you."_ She challenged, and Link turned to face her.

"Well, I triple-dog-dare _you."_ He smirked, and when she opened her mouth he interrupted her. "You can't walk away from a triple-dog-dare! It's an unwritten law of society."

Zelda looked skeptical, but with a resigned sigh she climbed down to the water wheel's base. The rotating wood rumbled below her feet and the ground was a good distance from where she stood, but she didn't seem to be fazed. Link watched as she pulled at the switch and the water wheel locked into place, its rumbling grinding to a halt, and the water lapped uselessly at the lowest portion of the wheel.

"Satisfied?" Zelda asked when she returned.

"Very. Want to see what happened?"

After another uncomfortable squeeze they were back in the temple again, and Link looked up to the second floor to see the blades frozen, no longer rotating like they were before. Three more Bokoblins had taken the place of the first five, and Link disposed of them easily.

"So what now?" He asked as Zelda turned in a slow circle, observing their surroundings. She pointed up to one of the blades at some detail Link's couldn't see.

"Hey, do you think that's a Hookshot target?" Link wondered, then pulled the Hookshots from his belt. "Well, there's only one way to find out." Raising his arm to the previously rotating blades, he released the Hookshot's barbs and they dug into the spoke easily, the corroded metal crumpling under the sharp points. He jumped onto the second floor balcony into the small space between the blades. A rattling breath was the first sign that he wasn't alone.

Spinning sharply, Link tugged out the Goddess Sword to face his assailant. At first the figure was concealed in the shadows cast by the large blades that now formed walls, but then it stepped out of the darkness. Link assumed it was a Bokoblin, but as the figure hobbled into the light he scrambled backwards, shocked and horrified by the sight before him.

The creature was wrapped in bloodied, rotten bandages, red stains congealing along the joints and veins. The wraps covered its entire body save its eyes and mouth. The eyes were burning with angry fire and crooked tombstone teeth protruded from its mouth, strings of saliva dribbling from the mouth. Plates of cracked armor shielded its upper chest and shoulder, and it held a long, massively wide sword that it dragged along behind it, the tip grinding into the stone with a metallic whine.

Link raised his sword, prepared to retaliate if it raised its sword, but the monster did something he would have never expected – it screamed.

The noise was harsh and abrasive, a screech like a banshee that drilled straight through Link's ears into his skull. His whole body stiffened and chills ran down his spine, making his whole body tremble, and the Goddess Sword wavered in his hand. He tried to move, but his legs were frozen to the ground, cemented in place. The screams intensified, echoing through his ears and filling the temple with the bone-chilling screeching, and the Goddess Sword clattered out of his hands, which were shaking uncontrollably. Again the monster shrieked and Link fell to the ground, clasping his hands over his ears, when another scream mingled with the paralyzing wails. Link stiffened, eyes widening. He had heard the scream before, the clear voice charged with pure terror, so unlike the monster's crude screeches, the memories attacking him with almost as much force as the monster was. Fear and anger burned within him, but when the second scream sounded all the fight drained out of him and he collapsed on the ground, gasping.

" _Mom?"_

The screams continued for an agonizing second before they were abruptly cut off by the short twang of a bowstring. The head of the monster snapped to the side and it stumbled to the side, then fell down against the wall of the temple. The screams still echoed in Link's ears, a powerful ringing that drowned out all other sound, until Zelda's clear voice sounded above the ebbing shrieks.

"Link! Link! Are you all right?"

Link realized he was curled in a tight ball and slowly unwound his limbs, groaning as he did so. His head pounded with the memories of the screams and the memories in general. Fire raced through his mind, and the sharp screams split through his head again. Pressing his hands against his temples, Link growled and tried to force the thoughts out of his head, but the harder he tried the sharper and shriller the screams became.

" _Take Link! Get him to safety!"_

"Get _out!"_ Link roared, screwing his eyes shut.

"Link!" The voice was clear and comforting, unlike the fear infused in the screams of the monster, and he opened one eye to see Zelda standing below him, features twisted in concern and fear. "Link!"

He waved in response and stood shakily, legs still trembling, and picked up the Goddess Sword. The body of the monster was still collapsed in the corner, and Link hurried away as fast as he could. No way was he sticking around before it reformed or something.

Aiming the Hookshot at the nearest grate, Link landed on the first floor unsteadily, still shaken from the monster's attacks. Zelda darted over to him with almost inhuman speed and wound her arms around him, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Oh, Link, I was so worried!" She cried, then pulled away. "Are you okay?"

"Fine." Link replied stiffly, clenching his fists to keep his hands from trembling. Zelda noticed and a strange expression crossed her face that Link couldn't pinpoint – pity, or maybe fear.

"Did you hear the screams?" He asked suddenly, turning his face away from her. _A Hero would be strong. He wouldn't cower in the face of his fears. He wouldn't be paralyzed..._

"They were awful!" Zelda whispered, ducking her head. "I couldn't move, just hearing that terrible sound over and over..." She shuddered.

Link shook his head, still keeping his eyes fixed away from her. "Not that scream, the other one."

"The other one?" Zelda knit her brow in confusion. "I didn't hear any other scream. Why, did you?"

"Never mind, it's nothing." He muttered, turning away completely. "Did anything happen while I was up there?" He forced his tone to be neutral, but it betrayed a tremble at the end of his question.

"Link, it's not nothing. What happened up there?" Zelda insisted, her tone more forceful than before. Link bit back an angry retort and simply shook his head.

"I said it's nothing." He replied simply, and in one swift motion Zelda snatched his hand and held it in hers, forcing him to face her. When he looked up her eyes were burning with anger, but also a mix of emotions as she set her jaw and glared at him.

"Listen to me. You may not like it, but we're partners now, and that means trusting each other. You think I wanted to tell you about my dad and life with Gangstadorf? How could you be so _selfish,_ Link?" Her words were daggers and Link flinched at the steeliness in her tone. "You don't have to be so defensive, okay? You can trust me." Her voice softened and her grip slackened, holding one of Link's hands loosely in hers. "You can tell me."

Pulling his hand away from hers, Link turned away, not willing to meet her eyes. "Later. Just... Not now, okay?"

A heavy silence filled the room, until Zelda finally spoke again, her voice calm. "Okay. Later, then."

The silence continued, awkward and charged with anger and fear, but a silence that Link was unwilling to break. Still the screams perpetuated in his mind like an endless loop, and he wondered if he would ever truly forget them.

 **Link's** ** _parents?!_** **All right, theory time. What happened to them?**

 **Today's reviews, favorites and follows go to the Backstory Program, where we tap into the minds of protagonists and finally lean about the backstory they've been so defensive about for so long! In all seriousness, why do you think Link is so defensive? Trauma in his past? A Bruce Wayne-esque murder scene?**

 **I haven't said this in a while, but THANK YOU for reading! All of this would come to nothing if it weren't for you, the awesome reader. Let me put it plainly: You da real MVP.**

 **Until next time! :)**


	25. Of Heroes and Villains

**25 chapters and we're like halfway done. This story is gettin' looooong.**

 **Hello hello my lovely reader! Welcome back! Tarry not and read on!**

 **(Actually 3 exclamation points in 3 sentences)**

Link had been scared before, sure. There were the times when he was new to the ring in Castle Town, the tight pit of nerves clustered in his stomach, and then facing off against Gangstadorf. But this was something new altogether.

The creature had awakened memories inside of him he had spent years burying, packed down so deep in his memory he never needed to remember them, so they would never injured him again. Now they rushed at him with full force. Every time he closed his eyes fire shrouded his vision and smoke choked his throat, and he was left trembling uncontrollably, completely rattled and hollow.

He was sure Zelda noticed the change but thankfully didn't pry at him again. She was giving him the cold shoulder as well, and he supposed she had a good reason to. Now he couldn't worry about her, though – he was still trying to keep his hands from trembling.

Zelda was the other problem, and mostly because her reasoning was completely sound. They had had fights before, but most of them were petty exchanges. He could tell that this time he had really wounded her with his words, which was the opposite of what he wanted to do, but emotions were tumbling inside of him like churning waves and he had snapped. The last thing he wanted to do was anything that would injure her, but now he had damaged their friendship. Link despised his weakness and clenched his fists as tightly as he could, forcing them to remain still.

His _weakness._ That was just another problem to add to the list. How could he slay Bokoblins easily, then be completely incapacitated by a strange monster he had never seen before in mere seconds? He had frozen as the monster delved into his mind, tearing out his worst fears, the memories that made his feet cement to the ground as pure terror pumped through his veins, screams burrowing into his skull. _The Hero wouldn't be scared. He would stick the Goddess Sword into the monster's heart and be done with it._

Strangely, his argument with Roxus back in Castle Town came to mind, when he had flung himself at the Goron when he insulted him. _Who's the Cuccoo now, huh?_

With a low rumble the gears jolted to life again, grinding when they swept over the body of the creature. Link set his jaw and forced his nerves into his stomach, slowly releasing his fingers from their tight grasp. Whatever the creature was, it was dead. It was gone.

"Where are we trying to go?" He called to Zelda, and she looked over at him with a gaze as cool as ice. Instead of meeting her glaring eyes he dropped his gaze to his boots, shifting from foot to foot awkwardly. Zelda took her sweet time responding, and when she spoke her voice was clipped and refined, like she was talking to a businessman rather than a friend.

"Up above us, the ceiling's a hatch an upper room above. We have to figure out how to open it." Nose in the air, she turned away from him and walked over to the crawl space they had ventured through. "You can see from here the water wheel started up again. There must be some sort of timer."

Link nodded but didn't reply, keeping his gaze trained on his scuffed boots. Zelda's manner had completely changed since when he snapped at her, and he could tell she was angry and hurt. Already, as he slowly recovered from the attack on his mind, he was feeling guilty about his actions, but it was too soon to ask for forgiveness. Besides, he told himself, it was just as much her fault as his. Why was she trying to pry into her personal life, anyways? Why did she care?

 _But she told you all about her life,_ the sensible part of him spoke. _Why shouldn't you do the same? It's only fair._

He shoved these thoughts aside and glanced around the room, searching for some other clues to how they could open the hatch.

The answer came in a trapdoor in the large grate that stretched over the cesspool, the hinges almost rusted through. Link raised the trapdoor, straining to life the heavy iron, and it clattered to the grate with an ear-shattering clamor. Zelda hurried to his side as he knelt to peer into the darkness, the only sound from below the low ebb and flow of the water.

"What do you make of it?" He asked, aiming for a more friendly tone. Maybe if he acted more personable Zelda would come back to her senses. If the goddesses were smiling on him then perhaps she would apologize for sticking her nose where it didn't belong.

"There's got to be something down there that helps us. The water wheel makes the gears move, but that doesn't do anything inside from what I'v seen." Zelda's tone betrayed the slightest touch of interest, and Link knew he was making progress. As if she could read his mind Zelda leaned back, her features rearranging to a polite yet expressionless mask. "You should investigate."

"You should too!" Link protested, standing and crossing his arms. Zelda glared at him fiercely and it became obvious she wasn't going to give in. Even so, Link was unwilling to concede until he realized that the fate of Hyrule rested on their shoulders. With resignation he lowered himself to the trapdoor and gripped the iron grating tightly, then lowered himself slowly into the cavity, feet dangling.

He felt around the air for a ladder or anything that could support his weight, but blank space surrounded the trapdoor. His arms began to burn with strain and his fingers were numbed from the cold iron. Falling seemed inevitable. Tilting his head upward to face Zelda, he gave her a thankless smile.

"There's no ladder." He declared, hoping to spark some sort of pity in her, but her face betrayed no expression.

"Terrible shame." She smiled in return and Link's grip slackened, sending him crashing to the water of the pool below.

He crashed into the water with the force of a bullet, pain sparkling across his body, but it was dimmed by his anger. _I'm sorry, okay?_ He grit his teeth and muttered a few choice oaths under his breath. _Cut me some slack, will you?_

A more immediate problem faced him, besides Zelda's anger – he needed to find a ledge to climb up on, otherwise he'd drown. Paddling over to the wall, Link raised a hand to feel along the slimy, lichen-dappled rocks, searching again for a ladder or any way up. After swimming around the entire length of the pool he realized that, like the trapdoor above, a way up or down hadn't been provided. He drew in a deep breath and slowly let himself lower to the ground, jolting back up as soon as he ran out of air. The floor of the cesspool was too low for him to stand on, either.

Link fished the Hookshot out of his pocket and aimed it at the iron grate, then rocketed out of the clammy embrace of the water and dangled from one arm. Zelda kneeled beside him, expression still as solid as stone.

"Anything?" She asked, and Link shook his head.

"It's pitch-black down there. Even if there was a clue I can't see it." He admitted, and a strange feeling of shame prickled at his chest. He had failed Zelda again, even if this was only a petty example. "I'm sorry."

The words slipped out of his mouth before he could stop them, and Zelda's reaction was instantaneous – she recoiled in shock, a myriad of expressions darting across her features before a spark of fire lighted in her eyes. He cringed, waiting for her to curse him or spit at him or something, but instead she smiled. Link was freezing cold from swimming in the frigid water, but Zelda's smile warmed him to the core.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" She declared, then laughed lightly. Still in shock from her sudden change of mood, Link blinked, wondering if he was dreaming.

"So, apology accepted?"

"Sure." It was almost too good to be true. "Here, I'm coming down. Hand me a Hookshot, will you?"

Zelda lowered herself below the grate beside him and pulled out her bow, which lit the cesspool with a glowing light. Link stared at the massive collection of cogs and wheels that were hidden deep underneath the surface of the water, rusty and marred with age. Zelda directed his gaze to the largest gear, with teeth as wide as Link was, and a block of rotting wood that was set between its spokes.

"It's like the water wheel – each of the gears is blocked. We have to open them in time..." Her voice suddenly trailed off and Link followed her gaze to a feature of the machinery that certainly wasn't supposed to be there: a skeleton. The bleached-white bones shone under the churning surface of the water, and Link gripped the Hookshot tightly in his grip. Suddenly falling seemed much more dangerous.

"Well, there wasn't a way up." Link admitted, tearing his eyes away from the skeleton. "I guess he must have drowned. Not our problem." Releasing the Hookshot, he dove to the area where the largest gear was, and Zelda splashed in next to him. When she emerged her short hair was plastered to her head, sticking out at odd angles, and he was sure he looked no better.

"Dive down and help me get the wood out!" Zelda ordered, then sucked in a large breath and shot down towards the metal. Link filled his lungs and followed her, feet kicking through the sluggish water, until he was perched on the other side of the cog, grasping the ancient wood. Zelda signaled and he strained to pull the wood up, every muscle taut as he pulled, and a shower of bubbles escaped from his lips. As soon as he was sure he would run out of breath the wood gave way the slightest inch and he pulled even harder, tugging with all his might until the wood slowly rose from its previous perch and floated eye-level in the water. With a roar dampened by the water the gears came to live and churned though the water, grinding against each other in a metallic cacophony.

Link's head burst to the surface of the water and he gasped for breath, Zelda emerging soon after him. A strange sinking sensation filled him and he looked at the mossy walls, surprised to see the water level slowly dropping. Soon he and Zelda stood on the thick stone ground of the cesspool, slick under his boots, and along the walls three doors emerged from the water. The two that flanked the middle one had large keyholes, but the other had a simple doorknob.

"It's a process." Zelda whispered, voice echoing in the now-empty cesspool, filling the expanse. "We've got to hurry before it fills up again."

A jolt of fear coursed up Link's spine and he hurried forward, suddenly aware of every second that passed. Drowning in these rooms wouldn't be preferable by any stretch of the word.

Inside of the open room the floor dipped down into a deep chasm that rose again on the other side. A single moss-encrusted chest sat on the other side, and the only feature that crossed the expanse were two long cables, fastened by bucklers to the walls. Hanging between the cables was a small hanging platform, also speckled with lichen. Link's eyes darted to the cables and then to Zelda, who watched him with similar concern.

"If these cables have been underwater for a millennium..." He began, and Zelda waved a hand airily, although she still looked nervous.

"I'm sure it's fine." It wasn't exactly a vote of confidence, but Link shrugged off his wariness and observed the rest of the room carefully.

Two tall pillars reached from the chasm, topped by strange structures Link had never seen before. He could only liken them to windmills, with four blades turned on their side around a single rotating center. As he watched a gust of wind billowed through the room and turned the spokes around, which let the platform inch forward slightly.

"Okay, so the windmills turn the platform. That's easy enough. But how to we get it to turn?" Zelda frowned, her brows knitting in concentration. _It's good to have her back._ Even so, Link could still feel the slightest bit of awkwardness between them. He'd have to officially apologize later. Grimacing at the thought, he turned to face the windmills and pulled out one of the Hookshots.

The barbs caught on the worn stone of the pillar, tearing off some of the moss as the deep claws dug gouges in the rock, and Link clambered onto the top of the pillar and pushed with all of his might. The windmill blades groaned in protest and then gave to the pressure, but one side of the platform began to edge forward while the other stayed resolutely still. The cables whined in protest and Link stepped back, observing his handiwork.

"Give me a Hookshot!" Zelda called to him from the near end of the chasm, which looked much further away than it had moments ago. He dug the second Hookshot out and tossed it to her. In seconds she was on the other platform, pushing at the blades to level the platform. When the two sides were equal and the cables released their tautness she gestured for him to start pushing again.

Following Zelda's pace, Link slowly winched his side of the platform back to the near end of the chasm. Occasionally one side of the structure would lean further than the other, but the platform and cables were still intact by the time it reached the ground. Using the Hookshot on a patch of moss on the wall, Link regrouped with Zelda by the platform, observing their situation.

"Someone will have to ride the platform over, but we need two to keep the gears moving." Zelda bit her lip, eyes focused on the problem.

"Makes you wish Zario had come along, huh?" Link wondered aloud, stepping onto the platform. The wood swung and bowed slightly under his weight, but it seemed sturdy for being sunk underwater for years. The cables leaned as well, but only slightly. "So far, so good."

Zelda's head snapped up and Link took a half step back, alarmed. "The Deku Leaf!"

"What about it?" Link asked, putting the Hookshot away and pulling out the large leaf, still speckled with ash. He brushed the dust off without a second thought, refusing to let the fire and death of that night affect him.

"Use the wind from it to blow the windmill!"

Link pointed to the Deku Leaf with suspicion. "This thing? How?"

Zelda mimed a gesture, raising her hands and bringing them down sharply like she was slamming something down on a desk. Still wary, Link hoisted the Deku Leaf above his head, aiming for the windmill on his left, and swung his arms down with all his might.

A burst of wind spiraled from the leaf, blowing Link back as it gusted through the air and spun into the rotors of the windmill, spinning the blades quickly until they blurred. The left side of the platform lurched forward, almost throwing Link off into the chasm, and the cables shrieked in protest as one side stretched like a bowstring and the other hung loose. The grating of a chain echoed in Link's ears and he turned to see Zelda rocket over to the other side of the platform and lean her weight into the second windmill, slowly pulling the other side of the platform level with the first.

They proceeded across the chasm in this manner, with Link using the Deku Leaf and Zelda's strength to winch his way across the expanse to the other side. He jumped from the wooden base with relief and quickly opened the chest, which contained two identical silver keys, dappled with verdigris from age. The journey back to the near side of the chasm was much quicker than the first, and when Link disembarked from the platform he showed Zelda what he had found.

"These will go to the two doors, I'm sure of it." She smiled, hurrying to the door. "Let's go! The sooner we get to those rooms the better."

The door opened and Link was surprised when a rush of water coursed over his boots, rising to the middle of his calves. The cesspool was slowly refilling. A new sense of urgency took over and he tossed Zelda one of the keys, which fit into the lock and the decorated keyhole clattered to the ground. The second door leaned open into yawning blackness and Link followed Zelda in, hand reaching to the Goddess Sword. If anything jumped them he was prepared.

As it turned out something _did_ jump them – three Bokoblins leaped from the shadows, brandishing strange weapons Link had never seen before. Even the Bokoblins themselves looked strange, with bloated bodies, dripping garments and weapons garnished with rust. Their blades crackled with electricity and Link took a hasty step back. Drawing his shield, he advanced towards the enemies, Goddess Sword at the ready.

One of the more wily of the three stepped forward and swung a wild strike at Link, and he blocked the blow easily. The low snapping of electricity filled his ears and his hair stood on end, the arm that held his shield falling numb. Spitting out a curse, Link dropped it to the ground and stabbed at the Bokoblin. The blade sunk into the swollen flesh of the beast, but it seemed unfazed and swung upwards in a stroke that would have cut Link's head clean from his shoulders had he not ducked. Rising to his feet, Link lunged forward and cut through the Bokoblin's throat, and it fell to the damp stones, dead.

Link turned to see the other two Bokoblins in the same state as the first, arrows shot clean through their throats. He glared at Zelda, slightly irked that she had stolen his thunder, and she shrugged.

"What? You were taking too long."

As if triggered by the death of the Bokoblins, a gushing rumbled from the end of the room, and Link looked up to see lapping water slowly begin to crawl up the length of his boots, inch by inch.

"They're flooding the room! Get out!" Zelda cried, darting after him, then a sharp scream left her lips. A loud splash echoed from behind him and Link pivoted to see her trembling frame collapsed in the water. The Bokoblin he had stabbed through the neck knelt beside her, its electric blade slicing across her thigh. Alarm spiked through Link and he swiftly cut off the Bokoblin's head, then hefted Zelda's limp frame from the ground and pulled her to the door. Water sloshed around his knees and he knew it would fill the room before he reached the door.

"Link..." Zelda's voice whispered in his ear and he felt something warm against his side, glancing down to see crimson blood staining his tunic. _Zelda's blood._

"I'm not leaving you." He stated resolutely, dragging his feet through the water as it crept over his knees. Each step took every ounce of strength he had, and Zelda's body was only growing heavier.

"Link, you _have to!"_ She hissed, and even in her wounded state her tone was firm and strong. "Get out of here, leave me."

" _No!"_ He roared. "We'll get out of here alive."

As the water rushed up to thigh-level Zelda' voice was almost lost in the din. "Promise me you'll tell me everything when we get out. I hate it when we fight. We'll go to a restaurant with white tablecloths and you'll tell me everything, okay?"

Her words cut into Link like daggers and he swallowed the lump in his throat. "Sure, princess. Whatever you say."

The door was only ten yards away, but the water had reached Link's waist and his strength was spent. He couldn't take another step. Turning to Zelda, his lips met hers and she leaned into him, tenderly, passionately, then shoved him away with so much force that he was battered against the door. Shocked and startled, he met her eyes and saw desperation there, anger and laughter and an emotion he had rarely, if ever, seen touch those eyes of hers.

 _Fear._

"Go!" She shouted, then her eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed under the water, figure disappearing under the black waves.

 **What do you get when you mix a joke with a cliffhanger?**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the SAVE ZELDA *DISTRESSED SCREAMING* Company. In all seriousness, it would mean a ton to me if you reviewed! Your genius feedback gives me life :)**

 **Calling all brilliant theorists. What's going to happen? Is this the last we'll see of Zelda? Is this the last you** ** _want_** **to see of Zelda?**

 **This A/N is way too long already. Until next time, then! *dun dun dunnn***


	26. The Sign of Four

**We return from our previous state of cliff-hanging to Remnants! Welcome back, parting is always such sweet sorrow.**

 **Read on!**

Link was torn as he never had been torn before. Zelda was close, so close. He could jump forward and dive for her, but he wouldn't be able to escape the room before it filled with water. Or he could leave Zelda, like she asked him to, and continue his journey to save Hyrule.

The choice was obvious.

Taking in a sharp breath, Link dove under the water, fingers scrabbling along the stones, searching for the touch of life, then reached forward when he felt Zelda's wrist. He pulled her out of the water, clothes soaked through, and tilted her body so she leaned on his shoulder, one arm around her waist, helping her over to the door. The water had crept up to his chest now, and he knew as well as she did they weren't going to make it. The door was close, and Link lifted his feet from the ground and paddled for freedom, barely inching along with Zelda's added weight and the press of fatigue.

"You came back for me." Zelda coughed, and Link let out a short laugh.

"Was there every any doubt? That's what Heroes are for, princess."

She laughed as well, head cradled in his neck, and he leaned his head against hers as the water lifted them to the ceiling, the air slowly leaching from the room, filling their grave.

"I'll always be there for you, princess." He whispered, and they kissed once more, heads pressing against the ceiling, Link breathing in everything Zelda and he wished he had told her everything. Now she would never know who he truly was, and all because he was foolish and prideful.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you." The water reached his chin now. He angled Zelda's head upward so she could breathe in the remaining air.

"It's not your fault." She paused, their breaths gasping in the silence. "Link, can I tell you something?"

"Anything, princess." Almost to their lips now. Link strained upward, trying to keep his head above water.

"I think... I think I..."

Before she could finish the water lapped over their heads, sealing their grave.

Pulling Zelda along after him, Link paddled to the door and lunged at it with his feet, kicking out with all his might. The wood was solid under the soles of his boots and didn't give an inch, but he kept kicking, summoning up strength he didn't know he had, putting every ounce of fight he had into the attacks on the door. In an instant the strength rushed out of him and he hovered in the water, arms turning limp as he floated away from the door. A haze lowered over his vision and his lungs contracted, chest lurching as his body searched for air it couldn't find.

 _So this is how I'll go. But I want to go out fighting._ Resolutely he turned himself back to the door, body already turning numb, and he lashed out one last time, his last breath, his last seconds, everything he possessed going into that one kick.

The door stayed firmly shut. And that was that.

As Link's vision darkened he pulled Zelda close, wrapping his body around hers, and waited for the curtain to descend. Of all the places he was to go, at least Zelda was with him.

 _Some Hero._ The words echoed in his mind, and the crushing doubt descended on him again. He tried to kick at the door once more, but his limbs wouldn't obey him, cold as ice and motionless. The only sound in the water was a faint crackling, then a sharp snapping sound.

Link tore his eyes open and stared as the door cracked, light shining in through the fractures, then the wood tore apart and he and Zelda were blown out the door in a rush of water, pouring into the cesspool, which was now filled to his knees.

Choking out water, Link sucked in deep breaths, Zelda coughing beside him. His stomach lurched and he retched out a mixture of water and bile, then swiped at his mouth and turned to Zelda, who looked no better. One hand was clamped around her bleeding side and one was over he mouth, eyes brimming with tears, a weakness inside of her he had never seen before. Kneeling beside her, Link embraced her tightly and she held him with equal tenacity, shivers racking her body.

"Link... Oh, Nayru, I though I was going to die in there..." She whispered, and Link nodded slowly.

"I know, princess, but it's okay now. And guess what, you've just earned yourself a dinner for two: Link tells all!" He spread his hands to imitate a headline and she giggled, the fear in her eyes slowly draining.

"Link, I can't... I can't thank you enough." Her breath hiccuped and she looked down embarrassed. "I was a liability to you in there."

"Nah, it's cool." He waved a hand, then a roguish grin spread over his face. "Although I wouldn't object to one of those kisses again..."

She swatted his arm and laughed, then stood slowly, paling when she leaned to the side the Bokoblin had wounded. Link steadied her and she took a few cautious steps, then examined her side.

"The cut's not deep. Electricity." She seethed, making Link laugh. He suddenly remembered something from the room and glanced at Zelda, curiosity taking over.

"Zelda, you were saying something back there, before the water filled the room..." He began, and Zelda jumped slightly, eyes wide.

"What? Oh, nothing. It was nothing." She shook her head, casting him a smile as if to assure that nothing was wrong. Link wasn't convinced, but he chose not to pry.

"How about that third door?" He asked, pulling the key from his pocket. Thankfully it hadn't been lost in the waterlogged room. "Do you think it'll have something worthwhile? That other room was just a trap."

Zelda shivered and nodded, limping slightly as she walked over to where he stood. "I think if one's a trap the other should be legitimate. Want to go check?"

"Not really, no." Link admitted, but he fit the key in the lock and swung the door open wide.

A flurry of Keese fluttered from the doorway, buffeting Link and Zelda as they passed, then filtered through the trapdoor and out of sight. Link's hair was blown back and he smoothed it down as Zelda walked in, holding her bow at the ready in case of any more attackers.

The room was full of complicated machinery that Link thought only the most learned scholars in all of Hyrule could make sense of. Tubes, wires and pipes lined the walls, and huge hulking blocks of machinery cluttered the space. There were more buttons and knobs along the screens than there were blades of grass in Hyrule Field, or so it seemed to Link. Even Zelda couldn't seem to make heads or tails of it, wandering through the aisles of shelves and screens with a look of wonder on her face.

"Whoever modified this place really took their time. This is some of the most complex machinery I've ever seen!" She announced, then frowned.

"What's the matter? Another trap?" Link tensed, prepared to run if need be, but Zelda shook her head.

"Nothing like that. It's just if Gangstadorf was the one who did all of these upgrades, he has some serious engineers on his side. Maybe that's why that one room was a trap. There was a key to it, meaning it was useful at some point in the temple's existence, but not any more."

Zelda's reasoning made sense, only unnerving Link even more. "All the more reason to get out of here, princess. What should we do?"

Scrutinizing the machines, Zelda's frown deepened. "I think we should deactivate all of the technology. That way we don't have to worry about any traps in the future, and now that the gears are freed up we can open the part of the temple we need to get to."

"Which is?" Link asked, leaning against one of the monitors, scrupulously careful not to touch any of the levers or buttons.

"The top, of course. You saw how it's blocked off? I think there's a room up there." Zelda's gaze was still fixed on the rows of buttons and levers as she spoke. "The problem is figuring out how to deactivate all of this. It's so complex, we could be here forever and not figure out the right buttons to press!"

Link walked over to one of the walls, which was completely covered with wires and cables, then slashed the Goddess Sword down its length, from the top of the room to the floor. With a dying hum the lights of the machines died and everything powered down, bathing the room in blackness.

"Problem solved." He announced, then walked out of the room with Zelda at his heels, speechless and hopefully impressed at his quick thinking. Who wouldn't be?

They used the Hookshots to reach the ground level again, and Link took a quick detour out of the temple to start the water wheel again. When he exited the sun was sinking over the horizon, coating the sky in swaths of purple and red. He wished he could stay longer, but Zelda was waiting, so he crawled through the vent back into the temple just as the gears started to turn again.

The largest cog on the second floor rumbled to life and began to spin faster and faster, mirrored by the sounds below, and slowly Link saw the tiniest flash of movement by the edge of the ceiling. He fixed his gaze on the flicker and his jaw dropped when he saw the ceiling slowly pull away from the wall.

Brick by brick the ceiling retreated to one side of a large domed expanse that had been hidden from view before, each stone stacking on top of each other as it climbed up the walls and lined the ceiling. As soon as each brick had been stacked and the gears slowed Zelda used the Hookshot on them and then aimed for the bricks. Link stared at her for a few seconds before remembering to follow and he landed on the platform beside her. They both aimed the Hookshots at the bricks and dangled from the ceiling before the bricks rumbled, then spread out along the ceiling again, pulling back over the second floor like a blanket, sealed again like it used to be. Link lowered himself to the ground and it was stable – the entire bottom half of the temple was sealed off.

The area formed an enormous half-sphere, and since it had been protected from the elements Link could appreciate the grandeur of the temple's design. Colorful frescoes spread over the walls in explosions of color, bright and blending into each other like tongues of fire, each one more marvelous than the next. Just watching them Link could almost swear he could see them shifting and burning with each other, the paint crackling across the walls like a real blaze.

"Din's temple." Zelda murmured, touching a hand to her lips. Link's eyes were fixed on the paintings, glowing with an ethereal magic. It was beautiful, but everything seemed too still. Too perfect.

"Zelda..." He called out, then his voice was cut off sharply when he felt something touch his mind.

It was the strangest feeling, like someone had brushed up against him in real life, but instead it was a touch to his consciousness, an expanding force that rippled over him. The only think he could liken it to was when the monster below had ravaged his mind, and he bristled, recoiling from the touch. Zelda flinched beside him and he whirled on her, trying to still the slowly growing panic in his gut.

"Did you feel that?" He asked, and Zelda nodded sharply.

The brush came again, this time as if affirming he was really there, and Link grit his teeth, trying to fend it off, and then let out a yelp as whatever it was dove into him, tearing through his memories, his very thoughts.

Whatever it was, it was more gentle than the monster, delving in more slowly, carefully, but racing through his life, and Link was helpless to stop it. Every memory he had was at the thing's disposal, and he felt like a lab rat being examined, laid out on a table to be experimented on. Anger burned in his stomach and he concentrated on forcing the alien being out of his mind.

"Get _out!"_ He roared, and the thing rocketed from his mind, retreating a safe distance.

"What?" Zelda asked, darting to his side. Her eyes flickered from side to side, examining the room for hidden dangers, and Link shook his head.

"It was in my head, Zelda. What is it?" He asked, clutching the Goddess Sword tightly in both hands. The only sound in the room was the dripping of water from their sodden clothes against the bricks, nothing to reveal their invisible assailant.

"I think it's magic. Some creature searching for us." Zelda spoke softly, keeping her voice low so that whatever it was that had come for them couldn't hear. Link didn't know how effective her strategy would be, and he felt her stiffen suddenly, eyes screwed shut.

"Force it out!" He shouted, and Zelda opened her eyes, her gaze dark and angry, then stumbled back. She clenched her fists and scowled, eyes roving about the room again.

"I felt it too. Link, Impa told me about this kind of magic. It's incredibly powerful, and anyone who's tried it can only harness it for a short amount of time. You can search the world for people, invade their minds, pick apart their worst fears."

"What happens if you do it for a long amount of time?" Link wondered, fear chilling to a pit in his stomach.

"You die." Zelda said simply. "The longest anyone, even the Zora, can harness the magic is a few seconds at best."

"So it's not a person. It's not Gangstadorf." Link realized, relaxing slightly. "But it begs the question – who is it that's trying to find us?"

The answer came in the sound of the ceiling being punched in. Zelda shouted in alarm and leaped away, dragging Link after her as bricks and mortar rained down from the ceiling. The dancing frescoes shattered as a massive object crashed through the walls, and Link suddenly recognized the shape as it retracted from the room, then crashed back in again, bringing the room to open air.

Wooden claws slashed through the bricks like a knife through butter, shearing through the paintings and sending the wall plunging to the ground in fragments. Branches knit together to form twisted, powerful arms, moss and grasses crawling up the appendages like veins, dusted with fragments of brick and cement. The disfigured head area bobbed forward into view, the boulders held in place by thick vines and roots that spiderwebbed across the creature's chest. Powerful logs shaped the legs, moss and vines hanging from each dangling limb.

The Forest Golem had returned.

Again Link felt the pressure against his mind and knew without a doubt it was the strange creature that had been searching for them before. He raised the Goddess Sword as a sign of challenge, although he didn't have the slightest idea how he would be able to defeat something of such massive size. The golem reared an arm back and swiped at Link, its sharp talons passing by inches from his chest, and it took out a large portion of the wall when it spun around, carried by its own momentum.

"Does everything in this swamp get into your mind like that?" Link demanded, and Zelda raised her bow next to him, a determined expression on her face.

"Let's take this thing down." She declared, and although it didn't really answer his question her confidence was comforting. That made him the only one fumbling around not knowing what he was doing, though, which _wasn't_ exactly comforting.

The golem roared and swiped again, but its aim was far above Link and Zelda's heads and it missed by a few feet, wooden claws dragging across the paintings on the wall, sending a shower of cement dust and plaster down on their heads. Link ran around the room, trying to get a good view of the golem, but he couldn't see any weaknesses, which was unnerving. Most of the monsters he had faced had giant eyes or something, but this thing was made of rocks and wood. There wasn't anything they could do to stop it.

A completely stupid idea came to Link's mind – which, to be fair, was most of his ideas – and he jumped forward to the middle of the room, waving his arms.

"Hey, ugly! Over here! Give me a headbutt, huh?"

Again he felt the pressure on his mind, stronger now, and this time the creature's emotions leached into his consciousness: anger, determination, and the most frightening of all, a bloodlust. It roared and leaned forward, but before it could get any closer, or in slicing distance, Link tore the Hookshots out and shot towards its head, then scrambled across the creature's back, holding on tightly between its two shoulder blades. When he looked between the two wooden spikes he saw a mess of vines clumped together in the creature's center, pulsating with a purple light. _I've got you now._

"Zelda, I know how to kill this thing!" He shouted from his perch, and the golem gave another angry roar and shook him off. For a terrifying moment Link was weightless, then he pivoted and shot the barbs of the Hookshot into one of the walls, slowing his fall and he swung down onto the ground, rolling to lose excess momentum. When he stood Zelda was beside him, face pale.

"Link, we might have a bigger problem."

He glanced up to the golem, who was still reeling from Link's sudden leap, and Link was about to ask Zelda what was wrong before a chilling voice echoed in the room, freezing him in his tracks.

"Did you miss me?"

 ***is actually Moriarty***

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Adopt A Forest Golem Association, where friendly mind-manipulating lovable lethal golems find homes with wonderful readers such as yourself. The AAFGA is not responsible for maiming, stabbing, plant-related injuries, murder, abrasions, burns, amnesia, or papercuts.**

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 **I guess that's all for now...? I'll be on vacation this week, so next update will be on a Saturday. Just an FYI :)**

 **Until next time, then!**


	27. The End of an Era

**Hello and welcome back (a day late) to Remnants! I'll try to be more punctual in the future, but not every hotel has a business center :)**

 **Not much else to say here... Read on!**

 _No._

Link's first thought was denial. He had heard that voice before, that mocking tone, cloyingly superior. Memories of a battle and hopelessness and pain. But it was impossible. _He can't be here now. He can't._

Zelda snatched his hand and he gripped her fingers tightly, probably painfully, but she didn't flinch away. He was thankful for her support, even if the strange voice wasn't who he thought it was. _Couldn't_ be who he thought it was.

"Oh, yes, I bet you thought you saw the last of me back in Kasuto, didn't you?" A low _tsk-tsk_ sound echoed around the room, as if someone was clicking their tongue in disappointment. "Frankly, I expected more from you two. After all, you've eluded me for so long, I must have been misled to believe that you actually possessed some scrap of talent. Sheer dumb luck, that's all. Emphasis on dumb."

Zelda's grip tightened and Link turned to her, keeping his voice so low it was almost inaudible. "How did he find us?"

"Like my pet?" Gangstadorf's voice echoed around them, so loud the floor shuddered and bowed. "Marvelous creatures in these swamps – they have the most wonderful talent of using their minds against others. You experienced that firsthand, didn't you, Hero? Or maybe I shouldn't call you Hero after hearing you wail like a child up there. Oh, this is even better than television, watching you blunder your way across the realm."

Link felt the same spike of anger light in his again, igniting like a flame as it ran rampant through his fears and doubts until he felt his whole body burning. Beside him Zelda bristled, drawing her bow and loosing an arrow at the Forest Golem, severing one of the thicker vines. It gave a screeching roar and stumbled back, swatting at the tiny arrow with its enormous claws.

"Your hope is positively amusing. You realize that I could kill you where you stand right now? I _allow_ you to live because you're childishly hopeful. You think you can elude me? Princess, you're oh so predictable. And by the way, I just remembered – Impa sends her regards."

Link's vision flashed red and he could almost feel Zelda's fury swelling within her, fueling his anger as well. "You selfish, heartless bastard!" Zelda shouted, knuckles whitening as she clutched Link's hand so forcefully it was a wonder she didn't break any bones. "Come out and fight me yourself!"

Link had never heard Zelda swear before, but Gangstadorf knew the right buttons to press. _He's been manipulating us all along._

"I grow tired of your trifles. Kill them." The the Gerudo's disembodied voice surrounded them like a shroud, then was cut off sharply as the golem leaned back and loosed an ear-shattering screech into the air. Dropping Zelda's hand, Link clasped his hands over his ears, but this monster didn't have the same powers as the first did. When it brushed against his mind it didn't try to invade, although Link was given an eerie view into its twisted emotions. Pain, anger, and fear coursed through its body, pumped through its primitive heart. _We're not so different, you and I._

The memory of Gangstadorf's taunts were still fresh in Link's ears, but instead of letting the anger control him, he ensnared it, drawing strength from the burning power within him. At the same time his hand seared painfully and he looked down to see a faint glow leaking through the back of his glove, in a shape that was all too familiar.

"Zelda..." He began, and she turned, narrowed eyes widening when she saw the golden gleam.

"The Triforce of Courage."She whispered almost reverently, and Link pulled the Goddess Sword from its sheath, prepared to fight.

He noticed the change almost immediately – his senses were suddenly heightened, so that every time the golem moved a thousand rustlings filled his ears, how every blade of grass on the beast he could see in full clarity. The blade in his hands was almost weightless, and suddenly no fatigue weighed him down. An alien strength supported him and he grinned. Gangstadorf be damned – _now_ he could fight.

The golem struck out with one barbed hand, but the blow seemed almost lethargic to Link, like the beast was swiping through molasses. Dodging the sharp claws, Link rolled underneath the attack and clutched one of the vein-like vines that raced up and down the length of the golem, then swung himself up onto the creature's arm and sprinted to its shoulder in seconds. By the time he was perched between its shoulders the creature was still unaware that he had even left his position on the ground.

Link peered between the tendrils of vines and scraps of wood that knit together the form of the golem and observed the nervous center of vines located in the middle of the monster's ribcage. An eerie purple glow emanated from the ivy, which was obviously the golem's form of a brain, pulsating and throbbing with life. Drawing the Goddess Sword back, Link thrust the blade forward with enough power to shatter the wooden rib bones around the vines and slashed into the creature, inflicting massive damage on the golem.

With a wail that was acutely painful thanks to Link's heightened hearing, the golem shook itself like a dog and threw Link back into the room. He crashed to the brick floor but the impact was practically painless and he leaped to his feet again, spinning the hilt of his sword around in his hands, taunting the beast, goading him on.

Again Link felt the pressure on his consciousness that meant the monster was reaching out, but this time instead of cowering he shoved back, his own force easily matching that of the golem's and mentally battering it back. A smile crept across his face and the golem reeled away from the blow, shocked and stunned, then faced the room again to retaliate.

"I think I can take out its arm!" Zelda shouted to his left, and he nodded without looking at her. He didn't need Zelda's help now. He might never again.

When the golem swiped for him again he was ready, jumping high enough to clear the strike and racing up to the creature's elbow before it could fight back. This time the golem reacted faster, using its other hand to claw at Link as he sprinted up its limb. One claw came so close that it left a deep groove in the sole of his boot. Zelda was true to her word, though, and as Link watched the long veins extending along the golem's arm began to snap like tendons, each arrow finding its mark easily. Thoroughly distracted and confused on who to attack, the golem ignored Link long enough for him to again reach the shoulder blades and land another attack.

Just as he was reaching back to stab, however, the golem loosed another attack on his mind. This time the force on his consciousness was painful and it took all of his concentration to shirk the blow as it blundered past him. The golem wasted no time shaking him off, though, and Link landed softly on the brick floor, leaving the golem uninjured.

The creature tried a different tactic, firing off a spray of seeds and noxious gas from its disguised maw. Link was able to dodge the seeds easily, drawing his shield and deflecting them back at the face of the golem. Its already disfigured face became dented and fractured with the continual assault, and all the while Zelda was loosing arrow after arrow at its limbs, severing joints and connecting vines. Link appreciated her help, but if she cut off its arms he wouldn't have a means of accessing the golem's nerve center, which would present a large problem.

A low crackling to his left caught his attention as the golem's wooden arm peeled away from its shoulder, vines snapping and wood groaning as it was ripped apart. Even with his increased power Link couldn't help but flinch when the golem's mind emitted a wave of agony that rushed over the temple. Zelda gasped beside him and her arms dropped to her sides, stunned by the attack.

"Zelda!" Link ran to her side and took her by the shoulders, trying to shake her back to her senses. "Zelda, you've got to snap out of it! Come on!"

Slowly the glaze from her eyes cleared and her jaw clenched angrily. "No one gets into my mind like that." She insisted, and a flicker of confusion make Link's brow furrow. What did she mean, get into her mind? The monster had just sent out his consciousness, not purposefully attack them. The golem's roar brought his attention back to the present and he rounded on the beast, spinning the Goddess Sword between his hands. The rush of power pulsed within him, and he leaned on its strength to fight of the fatigue that was slowly pressing in on him. The result was immediate and his tiredness vanished in an instant.

As the golem cowered back Link tore out the Hookshot and launched the barbs onto one of the wooden bones that formed the beast's shoulder. He tore away from the joint and swung himself over between the shoulder blades, stabbing down into the nerve center before the golem could attack again.

Link threw himself off of the golem's back as it staggered away from the room, howling and wailing. Purple essence rolled from its ribcage and poured over its legs, extending towards its head and arms. Link recognized the substance from the nerve center, which must have leaked out of the vessel-like veins. The gas looked similar to the noxious gas the golem had released before, though, so he wouldn't be able to jump onto the creature's back again, not without sustaining serious injuries. Even in his more powerful state, he doubted he could survive inhaling poison gas. It would be a useful trait, Link thought, but how often would you encounter noxious gas in your lifetime? Useful but probably unnecessary most of the time.

With another grinding tear the monster's second arm crashed through the temple walls, shattering brickwork as it tumbled down to the ground floor of the temple, demolishing the walls around it with a deafening collision. Now disabled, the golem leaned back, unsteady on its massive legs, and its shrill screech of pain thundered its agony, vibrating in Link's ears. The purple mist still surrounded its body, and Link felt his body coiled like a spring as he prepared for his next attack. Energy surged through his veins, adrenaline pumping with each beat of his heart. He raised the Goddess Sword and faced the golem, feeling the warmth of the blade between his hands, how naturally it fit in his palm, its delicate balance. He wanted to take the monster down, to feel the surge of victory after the fight. Rolling onto his heels, he prepared for the strike.

Half-insane with pain and shock, the golem reeled forward and collapsed into the room, its boulder-shielded chest punching through the brick floor. Great gaps appeared in the ground as bricks loosed themselves from the mortar, a sheer drop down to the grate on the first floor. Leaping nimbly away from a sinkhole, Link sprinted along the length of the golem, boots barely touching the fragile floor as he ran, jumping in one enormous leap onto the golem's legs.

Roots and bits of wood wove themselves together to form the golem's lower body, which surely would have tripped Link before, but his footing was uncannily sound as he raced up the creature's legs, then onto his chest, taking in a deep breath of air before plunging into the purple aura. Crouching, he thrust himself into the air, raising the Goddess Sword above his head, and a cry of victory tore from his throat as the blade severed the nerve center of the golem cleanly, each vine snapped in half with the force of the blade.

The golem's body shuddered as the life drained from its limbs. Link leaped from the shivering frame as the wood and vines crumbled to dust, fading to brown and gray before dissipating into shadow altogether. Shards of smoke expanded like daggers from the body, then flew together in a swift motion, vanishing into nothingness.

Link stepped away from the chest, body tingling with energy, then gasped as it suddenly rushed out of him like a faucet suddenly screwed shut. He fell to his knees, head buzzing, and fatigue crushed at his shoulders. The Goddess Sword fell from his hand, gaining fifty pounds in seconds, and his body seemed to be weighed down with sandbags. Flashes of pain burst like fireworks across his body, abuse from the battle that had just unfolded, masked by the energy of the fight.

In moments Zelda was at his side, extending a hand to help him up, but he shook off her hand and stood, swaying unsteadily on his feet. Patches of black fog spread across his vision, but he blinked rapidly and it cleared. Slowly his strength began to return to him, although it wasn't near the power he had experienced in this fight. Reverting back to his previous state made him feel vulnerable and weak, and for a second he allowed a spark of anger to run through him. In the fight he had felt like a Hero. He felt worthy to wield the Goddess Sword, and now he was back again. It wasn't a pleasant change.

"What was that?" He gasped, breathing ragged. Glancing down at his hand, he saw the golden glow slowly fade until it disappeared from sight.

"The Triforce of Courage can lend you strength in battle, when you most need it. When you're most courageous." Zelda stared at him and Link shifted from foot to foot under her scrutinizing gaze.

"What? You're looking at me like I'm no better than Gangstadorf."

Zelda blinked, then shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. It's just... You fought like a demon out there."

"A demon, huh?" Link grinned. "I can live with that."

"Where do you think the sacred flame is?" Zelda looked around them at the ruined area, then her eyes darted back to Link, a strange expression crossing her face. Ignoring her curious gaze, Link peered down into one of the sinkholes the Forest Golem had created. A low glow emanated from the grate, and when Link gave it a closer look he noticed a stone platform below the glow.

"Looks like we've found it." He pointed below and Zelda nodded, then held out a hand. Link raised his eyebrows and Zelda rolled her eyes.

"Hookshot?" She asked, and Link scrambled to pull them out, then handed her the left Hookshot as he attached the right to his arm. After a moment they were kneeling on the grate, the warmth of the flame radiating from its platform and starting to dry Link's damp clothes. A brilliant red flame unfurled from the stone, torching through the air and charging it with ferocious heat. Drawing the Goddess Sword, Link raised the blade to the light, bracing himself for the blow.

A single tendril of flame spiraled from the mass, burning through the air with a brilliant light and lacing itself around the pommel and blade of the Goddess Sword, racing across its length and changing the metal of the blade to a glowing scarlet. The sword began to tremble and shake, then the hilt seared at Link's hands, splitting to the sides into an ornamental navy design. The tempered blade continued to shake until it glowed white-hot, the heat seeping through Link's gloves and singeing the leather.

Link was about to drop the burning sword when the flames leaped back into the stone, vanishing from sight. The blade continued to glow, though, glowing with a magnificent golden light as if it was formed from polished platinum. Spinning the sword in his hands, Link felt that added weight to the blade and hilt, making the blade sturdier and stronger than before. When he turned to Zelda he saw her face slack with shock, then she burst into a wild grin.

"I don't believe it." She gasped, dragging a hand through her hair. "First you unlock the powers of the Triforce of Courage, then you get the Master Sword."

Link gave an involuntary yelp and almost dropped the blade. He stared at the lengths of the weapon with shock and a sliver of fear. The Master Sword, the weapon of the Hero, the final form of the Goddess Sword, and it was in his possession.

"Zelda... This..."

Her smile widened and she pushed the sword toward his chest, the flat of the blade pressing against his sternum. "Link, I know you might not think you're so great, but just trust me, okay? You would believe me if you saw yourself fight today. You earned this honor, and you're a Hero despite what anyone may say. Take the sword."

Raising the sword above his head, Link watched as the metal refracted the dim light of the temple with perfect clarity. The Master Sword was his.

Zelda thought he was a Hero, and that was good enough for him.

Just as he was placing the sword back into its sheath, a deem rumbling sounded from below the grate, rising until it made Link's legs tremble with the force of it. A thousand ideas shot through his head at once – earthquake? Axe murderer? Angry ex-girlfriends?

But it was the voice that froze him in his tracks, that made him feel powerless all over again.

"Very nice, good show. I must say, Hero, I had my doubts, but you've improved your skills. That's a compliment, by the way, I didn't think your dim little brain could comprehend it. But I'm not here to talk. I'm here to collect what belongs to me and I think I'll take it, thank you very much."

Although it was almost lost in the blending and the shadows of the temple, Link was frozen as he watched the phantom form of Gangstadorf rise from the gloom, his twin swords hanging loosely at his sides, torn robes fluttering in an invisible breeze. Bracing himself for the strike, Link raised the Master Sword, but Gangstadorf did what Link least expected him to do – he threw the swords to the side. In a motion that was almost faster than Link could process, the phantom lunged forward with inhuman speed and snatched Zelda by the waist, dragging her into the air before she could even scream. Link felt something snap within him and an animalistic cry burst from his lungs; he lunged for the phantom a moment too late, the Master Sword slashing through where the being had hovered a second before. The form of the phantom dissipated into darkness and melted away into the blackness of the temple, carting its prize away.

Zelda was gone.

 ***drops mic***


	28. New Occupations

**Aaaaaaand we're back. *picks up mic***

 **Since we left off on an epic cliffhanger let's not mince words. Read on!**

The weight of the world crashed down on Link's shoulders like a hammer blow, beating him down to his knees as the last of Gangstadorf's laugh echoed in the cavern. Every part of his body numbed, the Master Sword falling from his hands, but he only saw the blade clattering to the ground, the sound lost to him in the onslaught of jarring shock.

 _Zelda was gone._

It didn't seem real, it couldn't seem real, but she had vanished. She was gone.

The temple gave a low moan and the ground trembled, like the entire structure was shirting on its base, and Link recoiled as he felt the tendrils of the golem's mind tap at his again in one final assualt. The creature's thoughts hardened to a spear point and hurtled at his consciousness, bearing down into his memories, tearing through his thoughts with sharp-tipped claws. The pain forced him down again and every scrap of anger and fear in him ignited. With a roar he tore the golem's consciousness into oblivion, and the creature moved no more.

A small shape caught his eye and he stood unsteadily, still reeling from the aftereffects of the Triforce and the golem's attack, bending to scoop up a familiar item from the ground – Zelda's magic pouch. Carefully he opened the drawstring and pulled out the large map they had received in a precious temple, the paint looking faded in the low light, and he saw a small ember-like shape hovering over an area of the swamp. _The sacred flame. The Master Sword._

"Zelda would want me to keep going. Zelda would want me to move on." His voice was ragged but echoed around the room with an almost deafening clamor. As if in response the temple groaned again, and Link could detect a small shift under his feet as the ground gave way slightly. "I'd better get out of here fast."

Another bell's peal resounded form behind him and in half a second the Master Sword was drawn and in his hands, body tensed and ready to strike, but instead he watched as the space where the golem had dissolved bent and shifted like an illusion, the air twisting into a complex shape until an object became visible. In its place stood a large chest, with faded runes edging the golden braces that held it in place. Carefully Link walked over to it and pulled back the lid, revealing a strange item inside.

It was almost as tall as his chest when he balanced it on one end, shaped like an elongated teardrop. The thinner end formed something like a rigid hose, with the end wider and thicker. Decorated paint and curved supports radiated from the base of the item's neck. The only time Link had seen anything remotely similar to the strange object were the bellows in Biggoron's smithy back in Castle Town. Cautiously he took hold of the neck and twisted it slightly to the right.

The effect was instantaneous and Link was blown backwards as a gale-force wind burst forth from the item's neck, and he wrenched the flow shut before he was battered into the far wall. When he tried to open the winds again he twisted the neck a fraction of a degree, and a faint breeze lazily meandered out of the item, ruffling the dust that had settled on the temple's floor.

Ordinarily he would be concerned with carrying around such a large object, but he slid it into Zelda's pouch and fastened it to his belt. He was so used to Zelda wearing the pouch it seemed alien against the green of his tunic, a definite _wrongness._ The moment of distraction from the bellows vanished in an instant and he turned his head back to the spot where Zelda had vanished.

"Get a grip." He hissed, clenching his fists, but once again the doubts came back, worming their way into his ind like the golem had.

 _Zelda was the one who knew what she was doing. Without her you're lost, helpless, weak. Gangstadorf considers you a plaything, never a real threat. You don't deserve the tunic you wear, the sword you wield._

"Enough!" Link yelled, then drew the Master Sword. The familiar weight of the blade was a small comfort and his grip tightened on the pommel.

The crushing emptiness pressed at his chest, the quiet that he was so unaccustomed to. The entire temple seemed to be holding is breath, waiting for a climactic moment. Link pivoted, searching for a way down to the temple's first floor, since the ceiling had been bricked off, eyes catching on a small descending staircase. He didn't know when it had appeared – maybe after the boss fight – but he was glad it did all the same.

Carefully he descended, each footstep magnified a thousand times in the near silence, and he felt the brush against his consciousness again. Immediately on guard, he raised the Master Sword, glad for the low glow from the blade that illuminated the area around him, and prepared for a fight.

What he didn't expect was the undead monster from before to creep out of the shadows, bandaged, rotting hands dangling towards him, and open its mouth to scream.

Before a single sound could come from the creature's foul mouth Link leaped forward with superhuman speed, the Master Sword easily slicing down across the monster's head, biting into its papery flesh, and toppling the monster's head from its shoulders. A dull _thunk_ echoed when the head fell to the ground, features frozen in a mask of anger and face wrinkled and twisted. Link lashed out with his boot and caught the headless body with the heel of his boot, ramming the sole of his shoe into the dead monster's chest, and sent it reeling away.

The sense of power was comforting, although it wasn't as potent as the power granted to him by the Triforce of Courage. The creature that had terrorized him before, that had completely incapacitated him and left him weak, was now at his mercy. The Master Sword was his, and with it he could wreak terrible havoc on Gangstadorf and his forces.

"I'm no plaything." He muttered, looking at the Master Sword like a mirror, watched as his features placed across the metal's surface. "I can hold myself like a man now. Gangstadorf won't know what hit him."

With these words he ran out of the temple, burst through the entrance and out into the bloodred light of the setting sun, determined that he would find Zelda again and show Gangstadorf what he was capable of. No matter how difficult it was, no matter what he had to do to achieve it.

The journey back to Epona was no more enjoyable than on the first trip. Soon Link was coated with mud up to his knees thanks to a tricky patch of quicksand, and he was wet and miserable to boot. The sun had set long ago and he relied on the light of the Master Sword to get along, which wasn't the best method by any means, since he kept tripping on roots and rocks that jutted from the scummy water and muddy banks. The light also seemed to attract a strange number of creatures, including a moth the size of his hand with glittering wings that looked to be made of pearl. Link only caught a glimpse of the insect before he was distracted by yet another stray Bokoblin and sent the Master Sword into the beast's chest. When he had emerged from the battle the moth was gone.

Strangely, Link felt disappointed. Zelda probably would have made a big deal about it, recited its Ancient Hylian name and rattled off its family tree to boot. Also, he missed her companionship, and for a brief moment he wasn't alone.

 _If you're looking for someone else to tag along in this wild ride and a moth is your first candidate, you're looking in all the wrong places,_ he chided himself, a small smile tracing his lips.

He wandered into the night, working to keep a straight path and plodding along through the soggy embankments and avoiding decaying swamp fauna. The marsh was a totally different place at night, where shadows loomed and the imagination ran rampant, but Link simply clutched the Master Sword tighter and foraged on his way. Even so, he couldn't keep the memories of the screams out of his mind as the shadows grew taller and taller over his head.

 _The screams of the monster in the temple that forced him to his knees._

 _The screams of his mother, screams of pure terror that electrified his veins._

 _The screams of Zelda, the silent screams he never heard as Gangstadorf took her with him, yanking her away from Link, to goddesses-know-where._

Zelda. The Master Sword trembled in his hand, the steady glow wavering as he stopped to catch his breath. It still seemed impossible that she were gone, that she would pop out of the brush a moment later and tell him he was going the wrong way, castigate him for something or other, and he would make a jibe back and the banter would continue. She was so familiar, so steady, and now he felt blind without her.

And visibly blind, too, he noted as he fell across a rotting log. The moon was barely peeking out from the leaning trees, certainly not enough light to navigate well, but he didn't want to stop. Zelda was still out there somewhere and he was wasting time sitting around thinking about it. He needed to act, and _now._

The hours faded into each other as he trekked through the forest, dodging rocks and roots unsuccessfully until he collapsed to a relatively dry swamp bank, body heavy with exhaustion. He leaned back on the rocky outcropping and was asleep immediately.

A sharp scream woke him and he bolted awake, scrambling for the Master Sword, but the sound faded before he could find the sword's grip.

"Which one was that? Zelda? That goddess-forsaken beast?" He growled, thrusting the sword into a nearby patch of mud. Link's joints were stiff from sleep and fatigue, but he forced himself up and faced in the direction he had been traveling, sheathing the Master Sword and continuing on his way.

Thankfully the light of dawn illuminated the landscape well and he could travel at a much faster pace, hurrying through the glades of bent forest wood as quickly as he dared without exhausting himself. Finally the gleam of metal alerted him that he had reached his goal and he quickened his brisk walk to a sprint, finally reaching his motorcycle's side. It seemed untouched since he had left it, which was a relief, considering the strange monsters and Bokoblins that he had seen frequent the swamp.

As Link settled his hands on the handlebars he felt the same wrongness sweep over him again. Zelda should be there, hands around his waist, giving out directions and side comments along the way. Honestly, Link had no idea where he was going.

A fragment of a previous conversation came to mind, when she had been debriefing him on her plan for the Hero, before the whole revelation thing. _Something about trials of spirit? But what_ are _trials of spirit? Nayru, I wish Zelda was here._

"And what would Zelda force you to do if she were here?" Link asked himself aloud, keeping his tone light. "Research. She sure loved that." Groaning, Link turned Epona to face Hyrule Field and gunned the engine, setting course for Kasuto Town.

The journey took most of the morning, and Link couldn't decide which he preferred – traversing the swamp in the dead of night or broiling under the sun on Epona. The Hero's uniform was much less breathable than his old clothes, so as soon as he came to one of the many shantytowns that were set up in Hyrule Field he bartered off one of Zelda's light arrows in exchange for a set of clothes. Link felt a twinge of regret as he handed over the arrow, but Zelda had said she could replenish her supply with magic. Still, he felt like he was leaving a piece of Zelda behind as he drove off, donning a simple shirt and trousers that would make him look much less noticeable. He carefully stowed the Hero's clothes in Zelda's pouch, which was becoming more useful by the minute.

"I see why you kept this thing around, princess." He noted. The space it provided for his new bellows item was also very welcome – he would look like a fool toting that thing around with him on his back. He kept the Master Sword sheathed and carried it with him, though, in case anyone tried to challenge him.

Kasuto Town wasn't safe ever since Gangstadorf had come there, but when he first saw the town it took his breath away.

The first thing that caught his eye were the spotlights, raised to the sky in daytime hours. They were enormous, shaped like giant Bullbo horns, and Link could even make out the shapes of the Bokoblins that presumably operated them. Beyond the lights were the patrols of Bokoblins that wandered over the fields leading up to the town, armed with clubs and spears. Many long lines traced their way out of the city, where farmers and bankers alike waited in the blistering heat.

Link wandered up behind one man and leaned in, keeping his voice low and out of the earshot of a nearby Bokoblin. "What's all this about?" He asked, and the man turned to him, an incredulous look on his face."

"Didn't ya hear? Word's out that the princess was here a few days back. The entire city's on lockdown until ol' Gang finds her, and you need some fancy papers of authentication to even get it. Hope you brought yours, kid."

"Um..." Link looked down, frustration simmering with him. He couldn't wait to get into the city; every second he hesitated was another second he left Zelda in Gangstadorf's clutches. "Is there any other way in?"

"You Keese-shit crazy?" The man hissed, bushy eyebrows lowering. "Ain't no way to get into Kasuto now. You wait here, kid."

Ignoring him, Link pushed past the man and wandered aimlessly towards the outskirts of the city, a few low-rising warehouses. A few Bokoblins lingered in the alley, but other than that the area was clear. Double-checking to make sure he wasn't being followed, Link stepped into the shadows of the alley and out of sight of the main lines.

The Bokoblins noticed him instantly and muttered a few guttural words in their language, probably swearing, and Link forced a blank, stupid look on his face. The lead Bokoblin walked up to him and said a few abrasive words, expecting Link to understand, but he simply cocked his head to the side and shrugged, then made as to continue on his way. A sword blade blocked his path and he dropped his ignorant ruse, drawing the Master Sword.

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" He asked, then lunged forward to attack.

The first Bokoblin didn't realize until seconds later that he had been impaled, staggering backward on Link's blade. Never pausing, Link pulled the Master Sword away and raised the weapon to block a lightning-quick strike from one of the other Bokoblins, who pulled its spear back and drove the point towards Link's chest. Leaping back, Link slashed the Master Sword and sheared the spearhead from the wooden part of the spear and grasped the handle, slamming the wood against the Bokoblin's chest. The last Bokoblin dropped its weapon and began to edge away, valuing its life over any treaty with Gangstadorf, and Link raised the Master Sword, a grim smile on his face.

"I would run if I were you." He advised, and the Bokoblin didn't need to be told twice. It turned tail and scrambled away, footsteps clattering in the empty alley as it fled.

Link wiped the blade of the Master Sword clean and sheathed the weapon, aware of the small amount of time he had left to linger in Kasuto. The Bokoblin would eventually go alert his superiors of Link's presence, and he would have to flee the city before getting caught by Gangstadorf's mobs.

Kasuto Town seemed like a completely different world when Link exited the alley and entered the city streets. Bokoblins were posted at every corner, and the citizens walked briskly with their heads down, keeping away from each other and taking wide detours around the inhuman guards. Mob symbols decorated the streets in colorful graffiti, probably the Bokoblins' doing, and Link felt a spark of anger as he watched the scene unfold before him. He and Zelda had caused this, and he would put things right.

Thankfully the library wasn't far from where he had entered the city, and the place was a quiet as a crypt when he entered. The librarian at the desk raised her head sharply, eyes filling with fear before she saw Link standing at the door.

"Oh, thank Farore." She whispered. "I've had three invasions this week and I thought you were those beasts coming in for another one."

"Invasions?" Link asked, confused. Who would invade a library?

"Yes." The woman sniffed, raising her hawkish nose in the air. "A few of the books here were chosen to be removed due to... What were the words? 'Questionable and possibly instigative content.'"

"I wanted to know if you had anything on something called a silent realm." Link asked, walking up to the librarian's desk. Her lips twisted in a frown and she glanced behind her at a collection of noticeably bare bookshelves with a sigh.

"Unfortunately, those books were some of the first books they burned."

"They _burned_ them?" Link was startled – it seemed a little much, even for Gangstadorf.

"Yes, of course. Trial by fire, how poetic." The librarian's face morphed into a sneer. "Despicable. The only information I can give you is that which I possess myself. I read the book with the information on silent realms long ago, and there is little I remember from it."

Link's heart sank and he lowered his head. That was that, he had no more leads. He might as well be stumbling along in the dark with a blindfold over his eyes. He was well-acquainted with hopelessness before, like the time when he tried to convince a girl at the milk bar that he was in fact Gangstadorf's cousin, but this was an entirely different feeling.

"However, there is one sentence that stuck with me."

Shocked, Link's head jerked up and he placed his hands on the table, hoping the librarian could sense his urgency. "Please, this is really important. Could you tell me?"

"I was getting to that." The librarian eyed him with a chastising gaze and he fell silent, stepping back. "The locations of the trials have always been in dispute. Many scholars have argued the topic for centuries. However, there is one location that I, and the academic community, believe is archaeologically and geographically correct."

"And that would be...?" Link pried, leaning in, and the librarian paused. _Oh, she's relishing this._

"The research you need will be found in Skyloft." The reply was simple and Link stared, not believing his ears.

"Skyloft?"

"You heard me the first time. I have no need to repeat myself. Now I'd advise you to get out of here before the Bokoblins catch up to you. Of course, I would be willing to turn a blind eye that a criminal such as yourself entered my humble premises... Hero."

Link stepped forward and bowed his head, not knowing how to express his gratitude. He opened his mouth to speak, but before the could the librarian, shushed him and shook her head, angling her eyes towards the door.

"I understand, and you're welcome. Now go! Just remember the librarian back at Kasuto every once and a while. Hopefully your righteous pursuits will permit that?"

He nodded swiftly and she smiled, then pointed to the door. "Go! To Skyloft!"

 **To the barricade! *trumpets***

 **Sooooo what do you think about Skyloft? Skyward Sword is one of my favorite Zelda games (and I will fight you on this one, square up) so I felt it needed a spotlight. Also, silent realms. Aren't those going to be bundles of joy?  
**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Librarians Literacy Association because idk, but these rebel ninja grannies seem pretty badass to me. If you agree drop in a review! I'd love to hear what you think of the story so far as well. And the Gust Bellows? Wonder how that can come in handy...**

 **Anyways, thanks as always for reading! Your feedback is always appreciated and I just want to give a huge shoutout to each and every one of you! *virtual high fives all around***

 **I guess that's all for now! Until next time!**


	29. Not All Who Wander

**Chapter twenty nine why is this thing so long**

 **Hey everyone! Welcome back, (insert humorous anecdote here) and read on!**

The journey to Skyloft wouldn't be an easy one, especially if Link was trying to evade notice from Gangstadorf or his allies. A ferry ride was required to reach the floating island, and as Link soon realized it took more than money to get a seat on board. Identification papers, metal detectors and screenings were all required before you could even pay to get a ticket in the first place. Unless Link could somehow get Epona to fly, which would never happen in a million years, he was going to be stuck on the ground without a way to information about the trials of spirit.

The island was shackled to the ground with an enormous chain, each interlocking section thicker than Link himself and sculpted from stiff, heavy steel. The ferry attached vertically to the chain, with seats positioned perpendicularly to the ground, and steadily climbed up the chain to a docking station above in Skyloft. Unfortunately the ride lasted an entire day to slowly acclimate its passengers to the higher altitude, which would be another day Gangstadorf could discover his whereabouts and alert his monster gangs of Link's position.

The main problem Link faced, though, was identification papers and the other hurdles he faced before he could even buy a ticket. There was no way the Master Sword would get through that metal detector, ancient goddess-magic or not.

He would have resorted to some other means of transportation, but there really was no other way to Skyloft. Even if he could somehow rent a plane or some other private airship, it would be too costly and dangerous.

After he parked his motorcycle in a nearby lot Link sat pondering his situation, watching the crowds of people slowly work their way through security and wait for the ferry to descend. A man came and sat next to him, crossing his legs and smiling with apparent ease.

"Mind if I pull up some grass here? Nice to meet you, kid. What are you waiting for, trying to get to Skyloft?"

"Something like that." Link responded tritely. He noticed the man next to him had a sword as well, although it was shoddy and ill-made compared to the Master Sword. The man was Hylian, dressed in standard working clothes, and Link knew that he probably posed no threat, but it was better safe than sorry.

"Are you a racer? There's a Loftwing race coming up in a day or so. People from all over the realm are coming, it's a huge deal. That's why I'm going up myself. I know what you're thinking, I don't look like a pilot, but I'm the best there is around these parts. Name's Varden."

They shook hands and Varden tilted his head back, gazing up at the clouds where the thick iron chain faded into the shifting sky. "Yeah, I'm rearing to take home the trophy this year, but there's a country hick who keeps beating me by inches. Inches!" Varden growled, curling his fingers into a fist.

Link raised an eyebrow and turned to the man, fighting to keep a smile from his face. "Let me guess – red hair, tenacious personality, who'll do anything it takes to win?"

"You know Malon?" Varden observed Link with increased curiosity.

"Know her? I beat her in a race once, truck on motorcycle. It was no easy feat." Link watched as Varden's features shifted from amazement to cunning.

"I've never heard of Malon getting beat, never ever. You might have something, kid." The man smirked, and Link could almost see the wheels turning in his head. "Are you looking for a job?"

"A job?" The question startled him, since it was the least thing he was expecting the man to say.

"Sure! You're a strong young man, and if you've already beaten the infamous Malon in a race, well, I'd say you've got more experience than some of my best aides. What do you say? There's good money in it for you."

As much as Link appreciated the offer, he was in no position to be taking job offers, especially when he needed to find the trial of spirit as soon as possible.

"I appreciate you offer, but I'm already on a journey of sorts." He began, and Varden nodded approvingly.

"A journey, eh? Well, I guess it's nice for you young folks to have a hobby. But seeing as you've beaten Malon, I'd really implore you to take up my offer." Link began to protest and the man held up a hand. "Fine, I'll make a deal with you. Just come up for the one race, and I'll keep you on my aide team. You'll be my eyes in the sky, telling me how Malon thinks. And there's a ticket to Skyloft in it for you if you accept."

Link was wary at first – he didn't even know this man, although his gut told him that Varden was trustworthy. Besides, how else would he get to his destination? If Varden could really sneak him into the city, the time he would lose plotting strategy for the race would be made up by any foolish plan he would be forced to make if he refused the offer. The benefits outweighed the costs, and by Varden's confident expression Link could tell he knew it.

"I'll accept your offer, but how are you going to get me up to Skyloft? I don't have any papers." He admitted, but Varden simply dismissed this new fact with a wave of his hand.

"Doesn't matter." He replied airily. "Do you know how to speak Gerudo?"

"Excuse me?"

"Maybe we could pass you off for some foreign traveler. Then again, they may just want to look into you more." Varden rubbed his jaw, thinking. "Tell you what – I'll just tell them you're my son. Gangstadorf's minions are as stupid as they are ugly, which is saying a lot, considering their, er, genetic ungiftedness. Well, sonny boy, ready to go to Skyloft?"

Link rolled his eyes and stood, brushing the grass off of his trousers. "Sure, _dad._ Whatever you say."

Varden grinned, then sauntered over towards the dwindling line of passengers waiting to board the ferry. "That's what I like to hear. Ready to go?"

After about ten minutes of waiting in line Link realized that just about every person in Hyrule wanted to board the ferry. Because of the rigorous screening process it took almost five minutes to get past security, and even longer when a Goron got stuck in the metal detector and had to be painfully extracted with a tow truck and copious amounts of butter. His attention wandered from the interminable wait to the conversations of the people in line, hoping he could pick up on some information he had missed while exploring the swamp for the last sacred flame.

Thankfully, since they had nothing else to do, the people and creatures in line were very talkative, and Link picked up some interesting snippets of conversation.

"Rumors that Gangstadorf got the lost princess back, she's in the Castle Skyscraper now..."

"Kasuto Town is completely shut down, and I heard they had search parties ransacking houses, terrifying the citizens. My cousin lives there and her husband got dragged down to the police station by one of those Bokoblin mob goons and was interrogated for hours... He came back with a broken arm and a black eye. So much for a police force."

"Have you heard the news about the new Hero? I usually don't pay attention to the stuff, but this news came straight from the Koroks themselves."

"The who now?"

"I dunno, but the name sounds pretty official."

Link was glad the Korok scouts were able to spread the news of the Hero's return, but the other conversations he overheard troubled him. The news of Kasuto Town made him fear for the librarian's safely, and the news of Zelda... Well, he would never stop worrying about Zelda. The very thought of her stuck in Gangstadorf's clutches made him bristle with anger, and the pent-up frustration inside of him reached a boiling heat and he was half tempted to yell at security to get a move on.

Finally, when the sun was beginning to set and the sky around the horizon faded to a brilliant amber, Link and Varden arrived at the security checkpoint. A bored-looking Hylian woman accepted Varden's papers and barely glanced at them before handing them back. "How many tickets?" She intoned, sounding as if she were about to collapse from exhaustion.

"Two, one for me and Varden Junior here." Varden smiled and Link disguised his grimace as a forced smile.

"Enjoy your stay." The woman droned, then gestured for them to take their seats on the ferry. Link felt all of his nerves slowly drain away, replaced with relief.

"That was... Surprisingly easy." He told Varden after they were out of earshot of the security woman. "She didn't even make us go through the metal detector or anything."

"One of the things I learned as a pilot, my young apprentice – never undervalue the power of sleep." Varden smiled, then glanced at Link again. "And, Varden Junior, I never did get your real name."

"It's Link." He replied, finding a seat near the middle of the ferry, and Varden nodded approvingly.

"All right, Link it is. Parents were history buffs or something?"

The sharp reminder of the screams in the swamp temple echoed in Link's mind and he shoved the memory away with a shrug. "Yeah, that's right."

As they waited for the others in line to get on board Varden lectured Link in the basics of piloting a Lotwing. Thankfully the man was an engaging storyteller and Link found himself clinging to every word as Varden described a certain race when one of his Loftwing's wings had been strafed by an opposing racer and he had to climb to the top of an office building and dive down, managing to scrape across the finish line and win first place. He also gave Link a basic lesson on how Loftwings raced, from basic steering to more advanced aerial maneuvers.

"You can either ride bareback of use reins – I think the latter gives you more control." Varden explained, holding out his hands to demonstrate. "To go faster, simply lean forward and kick your heels. If you want to turn, pull on one side of the reins and not the other, then you'll steer in the direction of the hand you didn't pull the hardest, if that makes any sense."

By the time the ferry lurched to a rumbling start Varden had explained how to how to perform full turns and short stops in seconds. The concept of Loftwing racing sounded exhilarating, and Link found himself hoping he could participate in one some day. Varden noticed his enthusiasm and was sure to answer all of Link's questions to the best of his ability.

"You'll make a right fine Loftwing racer, you will." He told Link as the security lady closed the line and started to board the ferry. "You'll put Malon in all manner of worry if you get up there against her."

As the ferry slowly ascended to the heights of Skyloft he noticed a definite change in the air as they slowly rose. It slowly thinned as the ferry trundled onward, and he found himself having to take deeper breaths and noticed that even small tasks such as moving from one side of the ferry to the other left him winded. Varden seemed unaffected by the change as they rose and passed Link a bottle of water every once and a while, which he drank great swallows from.

"You don't want to get dehydrated up here, you'll end up with a killer headache. We're going slow to prevent altitude sickness as well, but you'll still want a day to rest when we first reach the shop, to get acclimated."

Despite his conversations with Varden an entire day on a cramped ferry became just as boring as waiting in line to board it. Varden suggested getting some sleep, but the hard plastic seats were obviously not made for comfort, so Link studied Zelda's map of Hyrule while his newfound partner dozed. Skyloft was marked separately on the side of the map, a motley of light blue and emerald brushstrokes, but from what Link had heard Skyloft was a buzzing metropolis, not unlike Castle Town. He kept his eye out for Loftwings, hoping to maybe catch sight of a racer, but the ferry was taking a terribly slow time reaching higher and he knew that traffic from Skyloft probably wouldn't be visible until much later.

Link folded the map neatly and placed it back in Zelda's pouch, letting out a long sigh. If the ferry ride was truly going to last a day, he would need to rest. Leaning his head back on the sloped top of his seat, he let the low rumbling of the ferry lull him to sleep.

Varden shook him roughly awake and Link automatically reached for his sword, but in moments he realized they weren't in any danger and lowered his hand. The man's face was bright and giddy with excitement as he pointed to the land mass slowly emerging from the clouds.

"Ready for your first view of Skyloft, kid?"

The ferry passed through a cloud bank and suddenly the city in the sky burst into view, sunbeams angling off of the buildings that thrust from the hanging earth like so many pillars. The sight of it took Link's breath away, like a small Castle Town thrust into the sky. What awed him more than the city, though, were the small aircraft that shuttled their way around the island, speeding past and flying loops around each other. Heavy freighters suspended from large balloons drifted past almost lazily, and brightly colored Loftwings darted through the air, buffeting Link and the passengers with wind as they flew. Varden pointed out an orange-colored Loftwing, which stood out from the other Loftwings due to its brilliant feathers.

"That's what my Loftwing is like. Bet you can't guess her name." Varden challenged, and Link crossed his arms, grinning.

"How about Varden Junior?"

Varden laughed and shook his head. "No, but that would be a good one. Naw, her name's Scarlet, goes by Scar for short. Yeah, she's a her, and she's twice as fast as that orange thing is ugly, probably faster if Gondo soups up the pedal switch.."

"Gondo?" The name was unfamiliar to Link. He turned away fro Varden and observed the city as the ferry steadily plodded nearer, the buildings thrown into sharp relief by the striking beams of sunlight.

"He's my head mechanic. He rigged up this fancy pedal shift that automatically changes the airflow under Scar's wings and gives you a huge burst of speed. Yep, Gondo's pretty much the guy for everything. He's obsessed with upgrading things as well, always has his head stuck engines and such, trying to make them work just a little bit better. He's a right fine mechanic and a good guy, you'll like him. In fact, he's the one who fixed up my sword."

Link had noticed Varden's sword before, but hadn't paid it any more attention until now. "Speaking of it, why do you carry one around? I know a lot of the Hylians in Castle Town did, but I thought it was more of a self-defense thing. If you're on a Loftwing all the time what do you have to defend yourself from, pirates?"

Varden laughed again and drew his blade. Link couldn't help but see the blade as inferior to the Master Sword, but he knew relatively little about swords and their different makes. If the mechanic Gondo had worked on it he bet the sword was stronger than it looked.

"Yep, I carry Beater with me wherever I go. You never know when other racers will try to put you out of the competition. Muggings, raids, I heard one chap went so far as to try poison. None of 'em will get through Beater, though." Varden hefted the sword with one hand and examined it with pride. "I'll bet Gondo will want to have a look at that blade of yours, too. It's fine workmanship, that's for sure. Where'd you get it?"

Link was thrown by the question and fumbled for a reply. "It was my father's." He reached back and felt the hilt, a small comfort in the alien world of Skyloft. "He told me to take it with me wherever I go, and it's been pretty useful."

"Your father must have deep pockets, my friend." Varden sheathed his blade and turned to face Skyloft, elbows on the guardrail of the ferry. "When we dock I'll take you down to the loft. We have our mechanic's area in the ground floor, and there are living quarters upstairs. Scar stays on the roof, she likes to be able to fly off whenever she wants to. It's not incredibly fancy, but it'll do."

"I can't thank you enough." Link lowered his head, suddenly ashamed. Varden was doing so much for him, and what did he have to offer in return? "Is there anything I can do to repay you?"

"Well, maybe one thing." Varden smiled conspiratorially. "Win us the race and I'll consider all of this even, okay?"

"You've got a deal." Link agreed, but he felt the same sense of inferiority come over him again. Everywhere he went people thought he was better than he actually was – Zelda, the Koroks, and now Varden. How could he ever live up to those standards?

 _Get a grip, loser. When are you going to come to Skyloft again?_

Casting his worries aside, Link let the view of the city calm him, the endless traffic of Loftwings and hovering crafts dodging each other, weaving between buildings in an intricate patters, silhouettes against the sun. If Varden believed he could help win the race, then maybe he could.

And if he could win the race, then maybe he could save the realm.

 **So, Loftwing races. Sound familiar? :)**

 **Today's reviews and et cetera go to the national Loftwing League, where kids of all ages can learn how to race and ride everyone's favorite mobile bird-creature. Ah, these fluid descriptions! Odd hyphen-words aside, your feedback and critiques are much appreciated.**

 **I've written like two chapters for Remnants this week, I'm on a roll!**

 **That's all for now, folks. Until next time!**


	30. Voyage in the Sky

**Hey, everyone. So, Skyloft. Ready for more action?**

 **That's great, because so am I. Read on!**

At long last the ferry docked and the security woman ushered the passengers out, looking bedraggled and ready to return to the surface. Link stepped off of the ferry, glad to be rid of the uncomfortable plastic seats and sluggish ascent, watching as Varden directed him to the right from the dock.

"It's this way to my place. I bet you can't wait to meet Scar, she's a real beauty." Varden beamed, face shining with pride. Link had always considered himself more mechanically attuned – he would rather ride his trusty motorcycle than a flying bird any day – but the way Varden described Scar he could feel the smallest urge of anticipation within him.

Varden pulled out a cell phone and raised it to his ear. "Yeah, Gondo? We're on our way. I picked up this kid on the surface, and he's going to help us get ready for the race. No, he's not a streetrat. No, he looks respectable. I don't _care_ what you think! And he's got a wicked sword. Oh, so _now_ you're interested. Fine, I'm on my way." Rolling his eyes, Varden mimed vomiting, making Link laugh lightly. "Yeah, yeah, see you there."

"Gondo sounds like a real charmer." Link noted, ducking as a brawny, heavily muscled creature wandered past him, thick boards balanced on its shoulders.

"Nah, you just have to get to know him first." Varden rolled his eyes again.

The streets were filled with trundling cars and some of the strangest creatures Link had ever seen. Crowds of chattering Stalchildren staggered about, and Link thought he recognized some of the Jell-O monsters from the time temple. Once caught a glimpse of what he thought was a Zuna, but when he circled around to check the figure was gone.

One of the strangest sights, however, was the occasional Lofwing that would swoop down over the street, buffeting the passersby with its wingbeats. Their riders were equally as impressive, with flowing clothes and intricate goggles. A few performed elaborate maneuvers over the streets and called to the people below. One went so far as to drop off of the Loftwing's back during a flip, free-falling for a few seconds before it circled around again and caught the rider.

"Are these some of the racers?" Link asked Varden, who glanced up to the skies.

"Bunch of show-offs. Don't worry about them, they're the ones who crash into buildings because they're too busy throwing roses at girls in the crowd. Besides, look at their mounts! If they were any slower they would be going backwards." Varden scoffed.

Link watched, incredulous, as a blue-feathered Loftwing sped over his head. Its wings beat powerfully, sinewy muscles contracting in its wings and brawny chest as it soared to the clear skies. "Your Loftwing is faster than that?"

"Oh, easily." Waving a hand, Varden stepped onto the sidewalk to avoid a muscled Hinox. "You just wait until you ride her."

"Me?" Link shook his head. "Are you serious?"

Varden nodded eagerly, smiling at Link's shocked expression. "Of course! You've got to get a feel for flying if you're going to help me out, even for just this race."

Although flying a Loftwing certainly seemed exciting, Link couldn't help but feel apprehensive. The Loftwing pilots were surely trained professionals, and he had no experience in flying a Loftwing, or flying anything whatsoever. The thought of it made him slightly nervous.

Accurately judging his expression, Varden clapped a hand on Link's shoulder. "Don't look so down, Varden Junior. We'll make a pilot out of you yet."

Varden's living quarters/mechanic's shop/Loftwing housing wasn't too far from the docks, which Link greatly appreciated. The higher altitude of Skyloft made simple actions strenuous and he was panting by the time they reached the top of the steps leading to the front door. A small garage was nestled beside the door, rolled up to reveal what appeared to be the lab of a mad scientist. A low rumbling and clanking echoed from the middle of the garage, signaling that someone was inside.

"Gondo!" Varden called. "Come on out and meet our new guest."

"Eh? Who's there?" A gruff voice called, and the lumbering figure of a bulky Hylian emerged from the piles of scrap and metal.

Gondo was a tough-looking man with goggles fixed over his beady eyes, a tight-fitting shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. He wore fingerless leather gloves stained with oil and grease, and a heat apron hung from his waist. His chiseled features were bared in a semi-scowl, but when he raised his goggles Link could see the humor sparkling in his eyes.

"So you're the new kid?" The mechanic asked, smirking. "I would offer to shake your hand, but..." He gestured to the oil on his hands. "He looks reasonably trustworthy."

"Reasonably? I'm touched." Link crossed his arms and Gondo leaned his head back and let forth a guffaw of laughter.

"Ar, I like him!" Gondo slugged Link lightly on the shoulder, leaving a smear of grease where his knuckles touched the fabric. "And what have you got there?" His eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"Gondo, really? You've spoken to him for all of two seconds." Varden shook his head.

"I can't help myself, look at this beauty!" Gondo gaped as Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath, fingers twitching with anticipation. "Stable balance, good hilt for guarding and can take the brunt of an attack, and look at the metal, it practically shines! May I?"

Link nodded and handed over the sword to Gondo, who held it gently with an expression close to reverence. "Beautiful." He murmured, miming a few strokes and nearly destroying a wire-covered contraption with a single swing.

"Don't you think we should show Link around?" Varden raised his eyebrows and Gondo tore his eyes away from the Master Sword, looking markedly disappointed when he handed the weapon back to Link.

"Sure, sure. Here's the shop, my domain. If you need anything fixed or upgraded –" His eyes fell on the sword again – "You'll know where to find me. Speaking of it, I'm working on that sticky gear in the pedal shift. It should be ready by tonight."

Varden looked relieved and thanked Gondo, explaining himself when he saw Link's confused expression. "The pedal shift I was telling you about has been giving us difficulties lately."

"Difficulties?" Gondo snorted. "Scar practically ran into a skyscraper the other day. That's a little more than a difficulty."

Varden shrugged and led Link through the door and into the living area of the building. From what Link could figure houses in Skyloft were tall, not expansive, and he saw a staircase in the corner leading up to higher floors. The first floor was a hodgepodge of twisted bits of metal, probably Gonzo's, dirty laundry and mismatched furniture. It wasn't much, but Link thought it had a quaint feel to it.

"You're back!" A voice called from the staircase, and a woman ran to Varden and launched herself into his arms. Her fiery red hair was visible even in the half-light of the room, and for a moment Link wondered if Malon had suddenly appeared in the apartment, but when the woman turned to him he knew he was wrong.

Her features were thinner than Malon's, with a more elfin face and a wide, genuine smile. "The name's Aralia. Hey, Shad, come meet the new guy!"

A low metronome of footsteps sounded from above and a younger man emerged from the stairs, looking haggard. "I was just about to feed Scar, this had better be good."

Shad was probably about Link's height, with sandy hair and an irritated expression, mouth drawn in a tight line. He seemed more serious, the polar opposite of the easygoing Varden. Varden introduced him to the group quickly and once handshakes had been exchanged everyone went to finish their separate tasks.

"I'm ground support." Aralia explained. "There's usually an area provided where the team can radio in with their pilot and get news of the race, so that's where I stay."

"She's also an ace pilot." Varden added, making her blush.

"He's being modest, this man has first place in the bag."

Varden waved a hand in an _oh, please_ gesture. Shad took the opportunity to speak, his voice slightly clipped and cold.

"I work as air support." He intoned, keeping his gaze set firmly ahead. "I keep to the rooftops and tell the pilot if any of the other racers are planning any crazy moves or anything like that."

"Yeah, you have to keep an eye on that Malon." Aralia winked, but Shad bristled.

"And I do! Her winning that race wasn't my fault!" He barked.

"Never said it was." Varden replied calmly, which seemed to pacify Shad somewhat.

A question occurred to Link and he voiced it carefully, keeping an eye on Shad to gauge his reaction. "What will I do? I mean, it seems like you have all of your bases covered."

Varden started to speak but Shad cut him off, a flash of anger in his eyes. "Just odd jobs. We need all the help we can get with the race coming up... Even if it's from streetkids."

Link balled his fists but refused to give Shad the victory of a response. An awkward silence ensued until Varden clapped his hands slightly too loud and called, "Who wants to see Scar?"

The stairs wound up and up for several stories, and Varden explained what each room was for. Each member of the group had their own small room, and there was a lounge area along with a fully furnished kitchen. Aralia insisted that she would do most of the cooking, because Varden's char-grilled Lizalfos steak was infamous for its foul taste, and she insisted that never again was Varden allowed close to the kitchen. Finally they reached the top floor of the building and opened the door to reveal a view of the city skyline to die for.

The apartment building wasn't very tall, but it still dwarfed some of the other buildings and Link could see for miles around, the fleecy clouds seeming to be inches away from his head. They were so close to the sky and for a moment Link could only stand and stare, until Varden tapped his shoulder and pointed to a more magnificent sight.

The Loftwing stood on top of the roof, its long claws delicate against the brickwork. Large feathered wings angled towards its sides, tipped in dashes of yellow and blue that brought out the bright, ever-shifting colors of its bloodred coat. Even as Link watched the colors danced across its wings, present for a single moment and gone the next. A large beak curled over its mouth, and bright, intelligent eyes peered at him. Link was frozen in place, frozen as the eyes roamed over his figure, carefully judging him. The examination lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like hours to Link. When the Loftwing lowered its head he let out a low breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"What do you think?" Varden whispered, unable to contain his grin.

"She's incredible." Link breathed, and he meant it. The Loftwing was a combination of powerful muscle and elegant grace like he had never seen before.

"Walk towards her – slowly, slowly now! That's right. Extend your hand and avoid eye contact, the bond between pilot and rider relies on trust. If you have to watch her every move to make sure she doesn't claw you, you won't be the right fit."

His stomach crawling with nerves, Link lowered his gaze to the brick rooftop and walked until he saw the curved tips of the Loftwing's claws. Carefully he raised his hand, trying to keep it from trembling, and waited as the silence pounded in his ears.

"Varden, I don't think this is a good idea..." Aralia's murmuring voice reached his ears.

"Relax, it'll be fine." Came Varden's low reply, and Shad scoffed, not even trying to conceal his unkind laugh.

"Oh, sure, like it was fine when Scar almost bit my face off. Yeah, you said it was fine then too." Shad growled, and the Loftwing rustled its feathers. Link forced himself not to flinch and simply waited, arm extended. He stood for a moment, feeling slightly foolish, when suddenly a smooth, hard object pressed against his palm.

 _The Loftwing's beak._

Scar gave a low hum and he raised his head, meeting her eyes. A wild grin crossed his face and he bowed his head respectfully.

"Thank you." His voice was firm yet quiet, and the Loftwing hummed again, blinking its eyes slowly. A strange sensation passed over Link, the same way it had in the forest temple when the Forest Golem had touched his consciousness. A vague shape flickered past his mind, as if scrutinizing him, then it was gone. Link's smile faded and he looked into Scar's eyes, searching for an explanation, but the Loftwing merely blinked again.

"Well, what do you say?" Asked Varden, sauntering over to where Link stood. Dropping his hand to his side, Link turned from the Loftwing to the man.

"What do I say to what?" He asked, although he thought he knew what Varden was planning. A mischievous smile spread on Varden's face and he slapped the Loftwing's saddle, raising his eyebrows at Link.

"Want to ride her?"

Before Link could protest Varden had tossed him onto the saddle and was giving him a crash course on the pedal shift, each sentence uttered in rapid-fire succession.

"There are nine main gears, but you'll only have to use these two for now. Shift one to ascend and two to go down, pretty easy, right? Scar will guide you most of the way, she's a better flier than I am by a long shot." The Loftwing hummed again, rustling its feathers and preening slightly with Varden's compliment. "Easy enough for you?"

"Wait, no!" Link shouted, but his voice was lost as the Loftwing tossed her head, crouched on her powerful legs, and then sprung for the skies.

Link yelled and clung to the saddle for dear life as the Loftwing pumped her wings, steadily climbing into the atmosphere. Each wingbeat shot her and her rider forward a hundred feet, and they were steadily gaining speed as they ascended. Scar rolled backward so that her back was facing the buildings below them and the only thing that kept Link from a fall to certain death was his grip.

"Roll over!" He shouted, thumping a fist against the saddle, but the Loftwing ignored him and plummeted to the ground.

His shouts were lost in the screeches of the wind as it roared past him, lost in a free fall all the way back to Skyloft. He hollered incoherently at the Loftwing, but she had either suddenly gone deaf or was choosing to ignore him. At the last second, when Link was sure he was a grease spot on the rooftops, Scar opened her wings and the wind supported them in a hovering glide.

"Nayru!" Link swore, and the Loftwing rolled him over and over until he was sure he was going to be sick. When she finally emerged from her spin he swayed back and forth, dizzy and terrified, bracing himself for the next hellish trick Scar had in store.

In a few pumps of her powerful wings the Loftwing was level with the highest office buildings, then pivoted in midair and rocketed down to Skyloft like an arrow, wings folding close to her body. Link lowered himself down on the saddle behind the plume of feathers on her head and his eyes watered from the stinging wind. Varden's advice echoed in his ears and he fumbled with the pedal shift, frantically changing to the first position.

Almost immediately their course changed as air ballooned under Scar. She expanded her wings to their full span and craned her neck to glance back at Link, and he could have sworn there was a devilish light in her eyes. Breath heaving, he took the small moment of peace to collect himself.

The respite didn't last long, though, when Scar suddenly swerved to the right and plummeted for the streets, weaving between buildings and apartments with ease. Link yanked on the reins, but it did nothing to sway the Loftwing's course as she barreled past the other air traffic, forcing riders to get out of her way. Her claws grazed over the heads of the civilians and Link shifted to position one again, forcing Scar above the buildings and keeping the people out of harm's way.

With a huff of frustration Scar swerved from side to side, trying to throw him off, but he clung to the reins and refused to let go. His legs gripped the Loftwing's sides tightly, and he released some of the pressure and held the reins a little looser, relaxing on Scar's back.

As he expected, she took the opportunity to try to throw him again, but now that he wasn't as tense it was easier to roll with her jerky movements. She tried to roll again, but his grip remained true, even when she shook herself upside down.

Without thinking Link manipulated the pedal switch and Scar soared up again, the air currents under her wings giving her a frightening burst of speed. With the slightest pull of the reins he angled her head towards the east and she obliged, suddenly pliable under his touch.

Link relaxed his focus and simply let himself fly with Scar, and the longer he rode the longer he realized he enjoyed it. He allowed her to swoop and dive, showing off her brilliance, and he reined her in and harnessed her raw power. Even though he had never been on a Loftwing before riding it seemed natural, like he was an extent of the Loftwing's sheer might.

Scar refused to buck and throw him now, allowing him to take control of her as they darted across the sky. Every second they rode together Link could appreciate her speed and agility, how quickly she could abandon a course and make a new one, her assured wingbeats never faltering. Only when the sun started to descend over the edge of Skyloft did Link reluctantly angle Scar back to Varden's apartment, with the Loftwing submissive beneath him.

When they finally touched down Link slid from Scar's back, staggering slightly as he stretched his legs. Varden darted to his side, face drained of color, and peppered him with a barrage of questions.

"What happened? Did she try to throw you? How did you stay on? And you were controlling her at the end – it took weeks for her to accept me as her rider! Scar's infamous for throwing people she doesn't trust to the streets, and you just commandeered her so easily! Your maneuvers were professional, better than half of the riders in the competition! Those were not just the two positions I taught you, no way!" He gasped out a short laugh. "Din, I thought you were a goner. Holy Din!"

His voice carried over the wind and Scar ruffled her feathers. "She doesn't like it when you swear." He noted, recalling his experience previously.

"I said I was going to make a pilot out of you, you're going to make a pilot out of me!" Varden laughed, then turned to Shad and Aralia.

"That was incredible. Hands-down, flat-out amazing!" Aralia gushed, hands clenched together. "You scared me half to death!"

Shad had no comment, only glared at Link and set his jaw in a deep scowl.

Varden announced for a celebratory meal and Aralia followed him, joking about how there was no way he was allowed to cook it lest he poison their guest. Link started to follow them when Shad grabbed his arm and shoved him against the wall, palms pressing painfully into Link's shoulders.

"If you think for one second you're good enough to take my job you're kidding yourself." Shad spat, eyes dark with anger. "Know your place, streetkid. You'll never make it big anywhere, so don't even consider it."

His words made Link double over laughing. Shad was so ignorant it was almost comical. _If he knew who he was talking to he would be eating his words right now..._

When Link straightened, out of breath from laughing, he smiled and punched Shad across the face. The blow made the man stagger back, pressing a hand against his cheek, where a red bruise was already forming. Standing over Shad, Link lowered his voice and began to speak, careful to keep Varden and Aralia from hearing downstairs.

"I don't know who you think I am, Shad, but I assure you, if you ever try to touch me again I will cause you more pain than you can imagine. Are we clear?"

Without waiting for a response Link spun on his heel and stormed into the apartment, leaving Shad gasping on the roof behind him, and shut the door with a definitive slam.

 **savage...**

 **Ok so I caught a Raticate with 57 CP in Pokemon GO and I have no idea if that's any good or not but I was damn proud.**

 **Reviews, favorites, follows, etc. go to whoever-in-Hyrule makes the Loftwing races. I hear they accept bribes (I mean, donations!) and wouldn't mind turning a blind eye if any of you lovely readers want a spot in their upcoming race!**

 **That's all for now, folks, friends, countrymen. Until next time!**


	31. A Race By Any Other Name

**Are you prepared for Bird NASCAR? (BASCAR? NASCird?)**

 **Well, start yer engines, folks, because we're in for a wild ride. Read on!**

The entire city of Skyloft transformed had overnight as everyone prepared for the Loftwing race. Banners were draped from every window, swaying back and forth as bird and rider soared past, performing a variety of difficult tricks. Their audiences cheered and clapped, eyes wide at the spectacle.

Even though Link wasn't racing he couldn't help but feel nervous as Varden prepared. He was outfitted in a strange pilot's outfit, cut from dark leather that made him look like some ridiculous space cowboy. His goggles had been specially prepared by Gondo, and when he fixed them over his eyes Link saw small green shapes shift and focus on the lenses.

"These will help me plot my course when I'm riding." Varden explained, tapping the lenses with a finger. "Gondo's a right genius."

"Please, you make me blush." The mechanic muttered, fingers flying over a contraption formed from twisted wires. When he opened his hand Link could make out the shape of a Loftwing, and when Gondo twisted a certain part of its body the wire wings spread and it fluttered around the garage. Aralia snatched it out of the air and tossed it onto a table, looking nervous.

"Are you sure everything's okay? Did you warm up with Scar this morning? Did you check and make sure her wings weren't strained?"

Varden placed his hands firmly on Aralia's shoulders and grinned. "You know me better than that. We'll be _fine._ I promise."

Shad still hadn't spoken to Link after their last encounter, for which Link was thankful. World peace would probably be attainable if Shad had been born mute. Even so, Link could tell that Shad's dislike for him had only grown, and he found himself glancing over his shoulder, wondering if Shad would strike out again. Glancing-over-the-shoulder was better in spy movies, not real life, and Link couldn't help but feel even more nervous with the combined stress of the Loftwing race.

Gondo collected his trinkets and contraptions in one large sack that he carried over his shoulder, the weight almost tipping him over onto his back. Varden hurried to the roof to fetch Scar, leaving Shad, Link and Aralia to collect the Loftwing's grooming supplies. While Link debated over bringing the moisturizing or sensitive-skin Loftwing conditioner Aralia darted about, muttering under her breath. Shad simply packed his things with a scowl that reminded Link of Zelda's death glare. Both usually meant trouble, and he prepared to use the sensitive-skin conditioner to whallop Shad across the head if push came to shove. He certainly looked murderous.

With a flutter of wingbeats Scar touched down on the street sidewalk in front of the apartment, preening at her wings as the rest of the crew exited the building. Gondo staggered under the weight of his tools and metal, and Link could barely see over the full basket of brushes and lotions.

"Will this be enough?" Aralia asked, setting down her load on the first step. Varden leaned back his head and laughed.

"You could groom an entire country with those supplies. I think you're fine."

Scar raised her head from her wing and screeched at Shad, who jumped and scattered his supplies into the street. Link had to restrain himself from laughing as Aralia jumped forward to collect the set of luxury brushes. _The Loftwing has good taste._

In ten minutes they were ready to depart for the starting line. Varden explained to Link that he would go and register while Aralia and Shad prepared their pit stop near the beginning of the course. Shad heard this and turned to Varden sharply, face reddening.

"Don't you want me to go scope out the race on the top of the buildings? That's my job." He glared and directed the last few words towards Link, who raised his eyebrows.

"Well, Shad, you see..." Varden began, and Shad flushed an even darker shade of red.

"Are you replacing me? After all of these races? After all I've done for you, for Scar?"

"To be fair," Varden muttered, "Last time you gave Scar food poisoning before the race. And the time before that you happened to 'overlook' the Loftwing that nearly knocked me off my mount. And the time before that..."

"You need me!" Shad argued, pointing an accusatory finger towards Link. "You can't replace me with some kid you met a day ago!"

Varden sighed and clapped a hand on Shad's shoulder. "Shad, I'm not replacing you. Link has raced with Malon before and won. I'll need all the help I can get in the air, and I would feel better if you were on the ground helping Aralia."

Shad didn't look entirely placated, but he set his jaw and stormed over to Aralia without another word.

Gesturing for Link to follow him, Varden stepped back into the house and glanced to the side, probably to make sure Shad wasn't eavesdropping. His voice was low and quiet when he spoke.

"I hate to do this to Shad – he's a good guy, really."

Link suppressed a disbelieving snort and forced himself to nod.

"The building where my lookout waits is located in the center of the city. You can't miss it, it's as tall as the Castle Skyscraper, the one with the big wing logo on the side. All you have to do is sneak past the security guards and dodge the pit traps."

"The what?" Link yelped.

"Only joking with you." Varden smiled, but it was notably worried and thin. "Except about the security guards. That is a real and legitimate threat."

"Right. Thanks for the reassurance."

Varden turned to the door and pointed to his left. "Just head down this way and make a right at the statue of the Goddess, then sneak in the back door and climb up to the roof. Radio in when you've found the lookout point. Can you handle that?"

Link nodded slowly as Varden pressed a small radio into his hand. It reminded him eerily of the walkie-talkies he and Zelda had purchased and the memory only made him even more nervous.

When they walked back onto the street everything was packed and ready to take to the race. Aralia stood in the bed of a large pickup truck that was loaded nearly above her head with boxes and bags of Loftwing supplies. Shad gave Link an intentional dark glare and revved the engine, which backfired with a mighty crash. Varden pressed his hands against his ears and Link winced.

"Take it easy, cowboy! You're not even the one riding the Loftwing!" Varden joked, but Shad simply grit his teeth and gestured for Aralia to come in the passenger's seat.

"See you at the finish line!" She waved, blowing Varden a kiss before Shad pulled away from the curb and into traffic. Link took this as his cue to find his outpost and set off to the left, mentally repeating the directions to himself.

Peddlers and street salesmen crowded the sidewalks, rickety carts overflowing with trinkets and various curios. Small stuffed Loftwings dangled from strings, much to the delight of the children that gathered around the carts, fingers reaching for the plush figures. A shifty-looking man was selling pointed crystals that glowed with an eerie light, muttering about protection from curses. Only a few stalls down another man was showing off genuine Loftwing pilot goggles to an eager crowd.

The sight made Link think of Castle Town and the small shops in the slums, but this was somehow nicer. _Maybe_ , he thought as he strolled past a group of children with Loftwing feather headbands, _maybe Skyloft isn't so bad after all._

In only minutes Link arrived at the building Varden had described. The structure was immense, with sweeping columns and plates of steel and glass that reached for the sky. He also noticed the plethora of security guards patrolling the area, far more than he would have liked. Link didn't want to have to use the Master Sword just to get a good vantage point for a race – it wasn't a good enough reason to harm someone over. However, the back of the building, thrust into shadow by a neighboring skyscraper, was relatively unguarded. Link quickly made his way around the back, keeping well out of the view of guards and pedestrians, and soon was inside.

It was a long and winding way up to the roof of the building, and Link's legs were burning when he finally reached the top. Panting, he pushed open the door to reveal a sweeping view of Skyloft. The midday sun shone through pockets of clouds, dappling the landscape with shadow, and the excited buzz of the streets filled the air until the very wind seemed to tremble with the tension. Quickly Link ducked near the edge of the building's roof and scanned the area. Varden knew what he was doing – the rooftop presented a pristine view of the race course, save a few parts that Link assumed went behind buildings.

"Are you in position?" Varden's voice crackled from the radio.

"Yep. No trouble so far."

"Make sure there aren't any other enemy scouts nearby. This is the best place for observing the race and we can't risk it."

"What do I do if I see one? Throw my radio?"

"Maybe something a little more violent." Varden supplied, then closed the line.

Link's excitement soon faded to boredom as he waited on the roof, minutes ticking by until the race would begin. The shouts of the crowd below seemed to be getting louder and he risked a glance over the edge of the roof to see an enormous crush of people swarming the streets. _To fall from this height would be deadly... Pilots have more guts than I thought._

"All right, everyone, who's ready for a race?" The voice was loud and came from a location to Link's left. He leaned forward, searching for its source, and the crowd stories below him swarmed forward toward the announcer.

"Yeah, let's make some noise!" In response a bellowing shout thundered from the streets, paired with something that sounded oddly like a dragon's roar.

"We've got an incredible group of contestants today, and we know you're as excited as we are to see who comes out on top. First up, last year's winner and one of the best Loftwing pilots Skyloft has ever seen, put your hands together for Malon!"

"A bit of a step up from a pickup truck, huh?" Link muttered as a Loftwing gave a shrill screech. The crowd roared and clapped, but Link could hear a few distinctive groans and shouted oaths.

"Yes, thank you all. Next, the Zora who shows us all the definition of speed, welcome Raltz!"

Another Loftwing's call echoed from down the street, paired with the flapping of wings that Link was all to familiar with from his impromptu ride with Scar.

"Last year's second place, give it up for Varden!" Link was pleased to hear that Varden had a large following in the crowd, some waving large posters and shouting words of encouragement and praise.

The announcer went on, calling of about ten more names, each earning a little less applause than the first. From what Link could gather there were only about six main competitors who were in the running, Varden one of them. The excitement of the multitude reached a fever pitch as the clock ticked down to the beginning of the race, a low murmur racing through the city as the Loftwings were readied for the race.

"Everything's prepared, Varden. You're ready to ride." Aralia's voice sounded from Link's radio.

"Aye aye, cap'n. Ready to fly. Tell Malon she's got her work cut out for her, yeah?" Varden's tone was bold, even cocky. His confidence was infectious and Link felt some of his nervousness dissipate.

The speakers crackled to life and the announcer's voice boomed throughout the streets. "And as the pilots' aides leave the starting line we ready ourselves for the race of a lifetime! This is competition like you've never seen if before, folks. Who here is ready for a good race?"

The announcer reminded Link of similar people back at the arena in Castle Town, heralding the fights like they were legendary match-ups. The memory wasn't a particularly fond one, only reminding him how much Castle Town and Skyloft were alike.

 _You can't escape your duties, not even here in the sky._

"Pilots, prepare your mounts! The race begins in three... Two... One... And they're off!"

A cacophony of sound thundered from the streets as the Loftwings strained for the sky, wings beating mightily and buffeting the crowd below with gales of wind. Cheers and shouts roared from the assembled masses, whistles and the occasional grunt reaching Link's ears as high as he was from the roof of the building. In a burst of color the Loftwings shot into view, streamlining through the air with practiced ease and looping above the other pilots, sleek like arrows as they darted for the clouds. Link punched a fist in the air when he saw Scar rocket through a clump of Loftwings and easily work her way to the front of the pack, wings beating in an easy, loping rhythm.

He caught sight of Malon soon after, soaring through the sky on a baby-blue Loftwing. The color resembled her run-down pickup truck but the Loftwing was probably faster than Malon's old ride, swooping past stragglers and leading the group in seconds. Link was pleased to see that Scar was right on Malon's heels, zipping back and forth while Malon tried to guard her lead. Even from a distance Link could see Varden using the pedal shift and trying a few maneuvers, but nothing could breach Malon's defenses.

"Go Varden!" He cheered, although he doubted the pilot could hear him. Soon the Loftwing were climbing above the height of the Skyscrapers to a checkpoint high in the clouds, where two hovering buoys marked the race course.

"I can't shake her!" Varden's frustrated voice growled through the radio. "Link, keep an eye on her. Find her weaknesses!"

Instantly fixing his eyes on Malon, Link watched as she dipped and wove her way through the clouds. Her skill with a Lofwing was equal if not superior to her racing skills on land, and he noted how she always kept to the clouds, preferring to stay out of the light and keep Varden confused on her location. Even after riding Scar for a short time Link was able to notice small facets of her riding style – how she would lean left when diving, or how she alerted her Loftwing on which way to turn. Every time she went left Link saw her lips pucker and he scrambled for his radio.

"Varden, whistle!" He shouted into the radio.

"What? What do you mean?" Varden called back.

"Just do it!"

A piercing whistle bursts through the calm and Link watched Malon's Loftwing dart to the left, revealing its position in full view of the approaching Loftwing. Varden rolled Scar over and shot past Malon to claim the leading spot, then disappeared into the clouds.

"Yes!" Aralia cheered over the radio, and Link watched Malon right her mount and pursue Varden with even more speed than before. There was no avoiding it – her Loftwing was fast, but Scar was faster.

"Good move, Link. What made you think of that?" Varden asked, panting slightly from the exertion of the race so far.

"Beginner's luck, I guess." Link replied, keeping his gaze fixed on the clouds as the rest of the Loftwings ascended out of his view.

Soon the crimson figure of Scar dove through the clouds back down towards the city with terrifying speed. Link wondered for a moment if she would crash into a building before she twisted and buffeted her wings to slow her fall, then pivoted in one sleek motion down to another checkpoint. Varden and Scar disappeared behind a building just as Malon streaked down from the clouds, her Loftwing straining to keep up with Scar's furious pace. Dread knotted in Link's stomach as they gained on Varden and Scar quickly, making up for lost time in three powerful wingbeats.

"Malon's coming in hot behind you, Varden." Aralia reported through the radio. "Watch your back."

"Will do." Varden replied, and Link heard the cry of a Loftwing over the radio. "I'm not letting this one go."

On the far side of the city, almost out of Link's view, the two figures of the Loftwings emerged again, flashes of blue and red against the sky. The blue Loftwing suddenly swung forward and battered at Scar with its claws, tearing at her legs and stomach. Thankfully Varden pulled Scar away before any damage was done, and Link gritted his teeth at the obvious display of foul play. _I guess Malon wants this as much as Varden does._

"I'll give her this – she doesn't give up!" Varden snapped. The red flash that was Scar looped for the sky, turning sharply and diving down towards the side of Skyloft where the ferry had docked. Link ran to the other side of the roof to get a better look as Scar shot down towards the pavement, her wings flattened against her sides. Varden sat crouched over on her back, the reins tight in his hands.

Link turned to see if Malon was pursuing him, but instead of diving like Scar had done she pulled her Loftwing up higher, losing ground as she rose. Soon other racers rocketed past her, but if Malon saw this it didn't disturb her. Her Loftwing rose at a gentle angle and began to circle above the streets like a baby-blue bird of prey.

"Varden, Malon pulled back. She's hovering above us. Probably means trouble." Aralia reported.

"Trouble? Trouble's my middle name, sweetheart." Varden replied, and Link watched Scar weaved between shops and street vendors. The first lap was coming to a close, with the race almost halfway finished. "One more circuit to the gold, eh?"

"Don't get too cocky." Aralia giggled, but Link could hear the nervous strain in her voice. Malon was still hovering above the race, eerily intimidating, and Link felt the strange urge to draw the Master Sword.

Just as Varden rounded the corner to the street the energy of the race shifted. Malon's Loftwing twisted and careened towards the ground like a meteor, its body an arrowhead. In seconds she was above the buildings and continued to plummet without any tell that she was going to slow her fall – and she was heading straight for Varden.

"Malon's coming right for you, heads up!" Link yelled, and as he watched Varden started to ascend, pulling away from the street and climbing above the buildings. Malon was waiting for him, and her Loftwing crashed into Scar, the two meeting in a flurry of feathers and sharp cries. The Loftwings tumbled towards the street, then strained upward until they were practically hovering above Link's head, sharp talons slashing at each other. Finally Malon's Loftwing twisted itself and thrust its claws into Scar's underbelly, sending the crimson Loftwing careening into a building, stunned. With a snap Varden's safety restraints broke and Link shouted as the pilot tumbled from his mount, hurtling to the asphalt.

"No!" Link ran to the edge of the roof, adrenaline pumping through his body as he helplessly watched Varden plummet to the ground. Just as he was about to pull out his Deku Leaf Varden reached back and tugged at something on his uniform. A swath of fabric unfurled from his back – a sailcloth, thank the goddesses – and his sharp fall slowed to a leisurely meander down to the ground.

"Well, that's it." Aralia whispered through the radio, her tone downcast. Link couldn't imagine Varden's disappointment, especially when they had been ahead for so long. Scar drifted down towards the street, so close Link could nearly touch her, and suddenly an idiotic idea came to his mind.

With a grin he stepped onto the safety rail of the roof. "It's not over yet." He shouted into the radio, then took a flying leap onto Scar's back. He landed with a jarring impact and the Loftwing trembled beneath him, then regained her balance quickly and gave out a short huff.

"Let's win this thing." He whispered to Scar, and she rocketed after Malon, fired like an arrow into the sky.

 **I was a gym leader for like four hours in Pokemon Go! My Pidgeot "FrankSinatra" salutes you :)**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the (It's so early I can't even think of a not-clever name) Foundation because we're so close to 100 reviews! This one's for you. Cheers!**

 **I actually can't thank you all enough for all of your support! Stay classy. Until next time!**


	32. Chariots of Fire

**I'm actually laughing so hard because I'm posting from a hotel business center and some idiot pulled the fire alarm AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME :D**

 **But enough about me, don't you want to read? I won't hinder you - Read on!**

Even though Link had flown with Scar only once before, their transition to flying was instantaneous. The Loftwing's body shot forward, a red flash against the cold blue sky, and in seconds Link was within arm's reach of Malon's blue companion. He was lighter than Varden, giving Scar an extra boost of speed, and Malon threw a quick glance over her shoulder only to see Scar tailing her when her rider had fallen off moments ago.

Link was shielded by the tufted feathers on top of Scar's head, and he looked forward to the moment when Malon would realize it was 'that guy from the auto dealership' who was going to win the race.

Scar's wings pumped with muscular ease as she passed up Malon's Loftwing and burst through the clouds, paving the land with a white coat. The views were spectacular, but Link had to focus on the race. He leaned forward on Scar's back, and she immediately increased her pace. The pedal shift dangled near Link's left foot, but he ignored it as he and Scar wove through the clouds effortlessly. Thankfully she wasn't trying to buck him off this time, and they were reaching speeds that made his eyes water from the biting wind.

With a cry of triumph Malon's Loftwing erupted from the clouds below them, forcing Scar to balk back to avoid contact. The blue Loftwing pivoted with one contortion of its body and soon was pulling ahead of them. Scowling, Link urged Scar on and they pursued quickly, sweeping to Malon's left and right, but she refused to let them pass.

The flashing lights of a checkpoint penetrated the cloud coverage and Link knew they would have only moments before he and Scar would lose the advantage of maneuvering space in the sky. He pulled Scar up higher, not unlike Malon had done previously, then angled her directly at Malon. The crimson Loftwing, as if she was reading his mind, immediately fell into a swift dive that made Link's stomach drop, spinning rapidly to gain speed.

Malon looked up just in time to see a red bullet rocketing towards her. She gasped and yanked her Loftwing's reins away, allowing Link and Scar to pass by with astonishing speed.

Soon they passed the checkpoint and Scar again dived, spinning her lithe body to gain momentum as they fell. Link pressed his knees against Scar's sides and held on for dear life – if he fell like Varden had there wouldn't be a safety parachute to protect him. The buildings of Skyloft whirled and spun closer, and when Link was sure they would crash into the city Scar pulled out of her dive expertly and soared above the rooftops.

Feeling dizzy and slightly sick, Link patted Scar on her flank. "That was amazing."

The Loftwing tossed her head, like, _what did you expect?_

The peace of the moment was shattered when Malon's Loftwing burst through the clouds in hot pursuit of first place, and Scar increased speed without Link's encouragement. Soon he felt himself relaxing into his stance, with Scar easily darting across the rooftops with grace.

Link risked a glance over his shoulder to see Malon trailing behind Scar, and he was pleased to note that her blue Loftwing was struggling to keep up with Scar's blistering pace. Malon seemed equally frustrated, kicking her heels into the sides of her mount to spur it forward.

"Let's show them how to really ride." Link grinned. Scar ruffled her feathers and lurched forward, wings beating with increased ferocity.

Link whooped with joy as Scar rocketed through the air, leaving Malon in the dust as she turned a sharp corner and exploded forward like an arrow. The screams of the crowd thundered and roared as Scar approached the finish line – the finish line! The crimson Loftwing sensed the excitement of the crowd and Link saw her wings pumping so quickly until they almost blurred. His heartbeat pounded in his ears as the line steadily drew nearer...

"No!" A shrill scream sounded above Link's head and Scar twisted upside down to batter away Malon's Loftwing as it dove for her, claws scrabbling at her exposed stomach. Malon's Loftwing battered its wings at Link and Scar, turning the world into a whirlwind of blue. Shouting with frustration, Link yanked Scar's reins to the right to escape Malon's fierce grip, but the blue Loftwing remained above Scar. The crimson Loftwing snapped and scratched Malon's mount to no avail.

"We can't lose this now!" Link growled, and Scar coiled her body backwards, then sprung forward, digging her claws into Malon's Loftwing. The blue Loftwing shrunk away from Scar's talons and screeched, twisting away. Malon had other plans, though, and forced the Loftwing back on top of Scar, who delivered a stunning blow to Malon's head with her wing that sent the rider reeling. Without guidance the blue Loftwing fluttered away, seeming as confused as Malon looked, and Scar bolted for the finish line, darting over the heads of the crowd.

An elevated dais marked the end of the race, and Link saw all of the Loftwing crews waiting for their riders to finish. The roar of the crowd grew to a deafening level as Link rounded the final corner and Scar shot across the finish line, claiming first place easily as Malon struggled to pull her battered Loftwing after Link.

"You did it!" Aralia screamed in Link's ear and smothered him in a bone-crushing hug, her cheeks flaming with excitement.

"Link! By all things holy in the sight of the golden goddesses!" Varden hollered from the dais, a beaming smile splitting his face. "You won! Holy sh–"

"You actually did it." A hand clasped on Link's arm and he looked down to see Shad below him, a faint smile ghosting across his face. "Guess you weren't as bad as I thought."

With a small smile in return Link slid down from his mount on Scar and gave her beak a vigorous rub. "You were great out there." He whispered, the words nearly lost in the cacophony of the crowd, and she nudged his chest lightly before raising her head and releasing a cry of victory.

Someone shoved a trophy into Link's hands and a thousand cameras flashed, lighting up the world with their brilliance, and Link stumbled away as the audience surged onto the dais. An ocean of hands and a crush of bodies overwhelmed him, and soon he was swamped by the fans trying to get his autograph, pulling at his clothes and screaming in his ears. The onslaught was so sudden Link didn't have time to plan an escape, and a sensation of claustrophobia closed in on him as the people packed nearer. A camera was shoved in his face and the flash nearly blinded him, and a thousand microphones were pressed against him.

"Please, tell us how you won the race!"

"A private word for the Report? A penny for your thoughts?"

The words faded to mindless buzz in Link's ears and he longed for nothing more than to escape their scrutinizing gaze. Just when he thought the crowd was going to crush him a hand grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the throng, shouting apologies as he went.

"Sorry! Oops, watch your foot there. And your thousand-rupee camera. I'll pay for that... Coming though!" Varden's familiar voice was a relief and Link allowed himself to be ferried out of the crowd and into the truck that had carried Scar's gear to the race. The door slammed shut with a sense of finality, sealing the rabid reporters out. Releasing a breath, Link slumped down in his seat as Aralia pulled away from the curb and directed the truck back to Varden's apartment.

"You okay there? I shouldn't have let them get near you." Varden called form the passenger seat, and Link shook his head.

"You're talking to Skyloft's newest ace pilot. Nothing gets to me." He laughed weakly and Varden joined in.

"Are you kidding? After my first race I had my clothes torn off by those crazy fans. Literally. Aralia will tell you, and I was on the front page of the paper clad in very manly boxers."

"I have the article framed." Aralia smirked, maneuvering the truck around a street peddler waving around gaudy, gold-plated bracelets.

When they reached the apartment, thankfully paparazzi free, Varden declared a toast to the race. Aralia cranked up some music and soon the entire apartment seemed to throb with the bass, trembling under Link's boots. A can was pressed into his hand by Varden, who winked and sauntered over to Aralia. Link placed it on the table when no one was looking – he didn't have anything against drinking, but he didn't want the alcohol to dull his senses. As the Hero he needed to stay alert, be it from Bokoblins or camera-wielding journalists.

At some point in the night crowds of people gathered into the apartment, chattering and dancing for hours to Aralia's music, cheering and singing along. While it was enjoyable Link found himself mobbed by people who wanted 'his version' of the race, and while he somewhat enjoyed the attention he got tired of telling the tale over and over again. After the fiftieth reiteration of the story Link had had enough and decided to take a break from the festivities.

No one noticed as he slipped out of the apartment and on to the street. I was well past dark by then, but any thief worth his lockpicks would take one look at the Master Sword and run for his life. The streets looked strange after the wild celebration of the race, empty of the screams and cheers of the crowds. Link kicked at a pocket-size Loftwing trinket that had lost its head somewhere. A low murmur of street traffic rumbled around the city, an ever-present grinding beneath the city.

As Link wandered he watched the shadows lengthen and the world darken as swollen clouds covered the sky, thunderheads blooming across the horizon like bruises. Even though he had just won some famous race and was the talk of Skyloft Link felt strangely pensive as he walked, hands in pockets.

He would need to get back to the world of the Hero soon, back to a world of silent realms and ancient monsters. He couldn't stay. The idea of leaving Varden and Skyloft behind was a sad one, but necessary.

He decided as he kicked at another Loftwing doll that he would leave in the morning.

Without realizing it Link had wandered into the poorer area of Skyloft, characterized by graffiti murals sprawling across the apartment walls and a few beggars huddled against stairwells, blankets around their shoulders. It was a similar scene he had seen in Castle Town, the depression that slung itself like sandbags over the huddled masses. A strange mixture of homesickness and determination mixed within him.

Link was about to turn back when a familiar noise echoed from the street – the sound of a fist finding its target, paired with raucous cheers. It was a noise he had heard so often in Castle Town, and he couldn't resist a smile. It was the sound of home.

Sure enough, a large shopfront was advertising the streetfights, slathered with posters of shirtless Gorons pounding their fists into each other. A bored-looking bouncer stood at the door, a barrel-chested man with biceps as wide around as a telephone pole. Link made a mental note never to cross this guy.

He approached the man, all nonchalance as he sauntered towards the door, but a meaty hand blocked his way before he could get to the door.

"What do you want, kid?" The man growled, baring crooked teeth in a scowl.

"What does it look like? I want to fight." Link smiled winsomely and the bouncer scoffed.

"You? The boys in there will wipe the floor with you. Don't make me laugh."

Link crossed his arms and directed his gaze to the sky, feigning disappointment. "Well, that's too bad. I can pay, too. But if you're too full..."

As he expected the bounder's cool attitude vanished in an instant at the sound of money. "Entry fee is ten rupees. Don't say I didn't warn you." Link placed ten green rupees in the man's fist and brushed past him, opening the door.

"Have fun fighting with the wolves." The bouncer called after him.

The arena was so familiar it made Link's heart ache for Castle Town. The brawling crowd, tossing back bottles of foul-smelling alcohol and aiming punches at each other. The ring, with its two contestants preparing for the next blow. The tension that threatened to snap with each punch, the stench of sweat and blood, every bit of it a reminder of what he had left behind.

Link was gestured over to a short line of others who were presumably waiting for their match. As Link stripped down to his trousers he examined the line, trying to get a feel of who fought in this specific ring. Most of the fighters were human, although there were a few Zora and a lone Goron with a jagged scar slicing across his stomach that was inches deep. Hopefully he didn't have to fight the Goron – it looked like it could tear out his spine in one deft motion.

Clenching his hands in and out of fists, Link watched as the two men circled each other, arms raised and bodies tensed. Blood trickled down one of their faces from a gash above his eye, and his fists were slick with red. Link felt a nervous hum of energy stir within him and he longed to be in the ring. The ring, where he was no longer a Hero, no longer a savior. The weight of the world was lifted and replaced with the adrenaline of a fight, the quick jabs of punches. He longed to be free of his burden and couldn't resist smiling again as one of the men lunged for the other, kicking out and landing his heel the other's stomach.

"What are you smilin' at?" The man beside Link roughly pushed him, snorting cigar smoke and grinding the rolled tobacco between his teeth. Link stared at his yellowed teeth, then up into beady black eyes.

"Nothing." He shrugged easily, and the man growled, appearing satisfied.

Anxiety was replaced with anticipation as Link worked his way to the front of the line. Every fight was more exhilarating than the first, with lightning-fast punches and stunning blows that made the crowd roar and scream. If Link closed his eyes he could imagine the arena in Castle Town, right down to the wrinkles in the announcer's clothes. The fast-paced adventure of traveling with Zelda hadn't given him time to remember Castle Town, and although it was a miserable place to live he realized that he had missed it.

The crowd screeched with bawdy jokes and tossed rocks and rotten fruit at the fighters as the prowled around the ring, giving an uproarious cheer when one of their projectiles struck. Soon the men in the ring were stained with dripping, moldy fruit along with sweat and blood, which only added to the stink.

A Goron and a Zora faced off in the next round, and Link couldn't tear his eyes away from their brawl. While the Zora was quick, with swift, glancing strikes, the Goron packed power in his punch that could drill Link ten feet into the ground with a single blow. They tiptoed around each other in an elegant dance, throwing their fists and feet forward. Every brow was pulled down in concentration, eyes taking in every variable, every twitch of a muscle and bat of an eyelid as they brawled.

As Link watched he found himself rooting for the Goron. The Zora was skilled, but terribly arrogant as he fought, often striking out with needlessly excessive blows just for the cheers from the crowd. Every punch was a mockery of the Goron, taunting him and his slowness, but avoiding his sheer strength.

The Goron, on the other hand, was patient as he fought, observing the Zora as he fought, taking punches to gauge his opponent's fighting style. It was an impressive tactic, and the Goron could withstand incredible amounts of damage as he studied the Zora thoroughly.

After a while the crowd grew bored with the lack of action and they hooted for more of a challenge.

"Go after 'im!"

"Come on, let's pick this up! I want to see a real fight!"

The Zora coked his head to the side after hearing this and Link knew the Goron was going to win the match. With the cry for blood he started throwing bolder and ill-conceived punches, even attempting to leap up on the Goron's back and perform some ninja-like twisting attack. The Goron pulled the Zora off and threw him across the room with one powerful swing, dashing him against the barrier.

The crowd leaped to their feet and hollered as the Goron closed in on the Zora, one fist cocked back for the final blow. Feebly the Zora struck out at the Goron with its foot, but the Goron simply stood over the Zora and delivered a crushing punch to his face, ending the fight with the crack of bone.

The wild murmur of conversation filled the arena as the Zora was dragged from the ring, and Link heard the sound of wallets being exchanged when the next fight began. It was a typical, wine-tainted brawl and Link watched with little interest as the men circled each other, too drunk and nervous to really attack until the crowd goaded them on with taunts and insults. One of the men kicked out and landed his heel in the other's temple, ending the fight.

The line of people before Link was dwindling as the battles progressed, the air charged with energy and the tangy smell of blood. Finally it was his turn to step up to the ring and he caught the attention of the crowd, murmurs racing through the stands like wildfire.

"Who does this guy think he is?"

"Didn't realize it was kids eat free night."

With a sense of purpose Link stepped into the ring, feeling the buzz of the crowd and the adrenaline overwhelm him, and readied himself for battle.

 **I still can't get over the fact that there's literally a fire truck in front of the hotel guys help**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the WE ALMOST HIT 100 REVIEWS Foundation, where I metaphorically marry each and every one of you because THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your reads and positivity, criticism and fan theories blow me away. Thank you!**

 **And thus with a kiss (and a pulled fire alarm) I die - or wait another week until next update. Until next time!**


	33. Scars

**Confession time: I actually forgot it was Friday until like two minutes ago. But I'm here, and so's the long-anticipated chapter of Remnants! If you count a week as long-anticipated, that is.**

 **This chapter was a lot of fun to write, so I hope you enjoy it. Read on!**

His opponent was a brawny man who could probably tear a truck in half with his bare hands. A wife-beater tank revealed heavily muscled arms that hinted at steroids, and his small eyes glared down at Link with murderous intensity. A few of the members of the crowd had the gall to laugh when Link stepped into the ring.

"Want iron boots, punk?" The man scowled, revealing tobacco-stained teeth and rancid breath that nearly made Link gag.

"How about a mint, hotshot?" Link patted the man's arm in a friendly manner, deepening his scowl. With a devilish smirk Link retreated to his side of the ring and waited for the announcer to signal the beginning of the fight,

The thundering of the crowd swelled over Link's head and into the streets, a constant yammering of gossip, betting, and slurred swearing. Link closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the clamor to overwhelm him. He was in Castle Town, he wasn't the Hero. He was home.

He could crush this guy.

"Aaaand... Fight!"

The last syllable had barely spat from the announcer's lips when the man's fist rocketed towards him, a straight shot for the face. Link danced back and ducked under the bruised knuckles, raising his fists to block if need be.

In seconds the man had recovered and sent a heel into Link's ribs. Pain sparked across Link's side but he remained standing, jabbing at the man's face and glancing off of his cheekbone. Gnashing his teeth, his opponent backpedaled and resumed a defensive position.

A sharp crack echoed across the room as one of the members of the audience threw a bottle into the arena. "Get a little action goin', will ya?"

With a roar of challenge the man sprung at Link, pulling back his arm for a punch. Link dove to the side and kicked his leg up into the man's chest, sending him flying back. A backhanded slap caught him across the face and Link stumbled back, momentarily blinded from the shock and pain. Pressing his advantage, the man followed up with two punches to Link's abdomen that forced the breath from his lungs and left him kneeling, the taste of blood in his mouth.

Link remained on his knees for a second more, waiting for the man to taunt him.

"Does the baby miss his mama?" His opponent jeered, followed with the mixed insults of the crowd. "Go on, get up!"

Link roared and forced his shoulder into the man's stomach, bone against bone, then countered with a vicious elbow-strike to the man's face. Blood dribbled over his opponent's lips and he bared his teeth in a grotesque smile. Soon a flurry of blows assuaged Link, landing on his arms, chest, and stomach until he could barely stand, swaying on two feet in a daze of pain and confusion.

 _He's too fast. I can't break his defenses._

Link raised his hands again, ready for the next round of attacks, when suddenly the arena jolted into focus. The pain slowly leached from his wounds and his senses buzzed as if he had just ingested caffeine. The man had his back turned Link and raised his arms to the crowd, flaunting his victory. Link's sudden recovery had gone unnoticed.

The lightning-quick motions of his opponent slowed to a sluggish speed, as if the entire world was wading through molasses. Link bounced on the balls of his feet, already planning out his next attack. Weak spots in the man's defense appeared obvious to him now, and without waiting another second he launched himself for the man, springing forward and landing on his opponent's back.

A bark of surprise burst from the man's bloodied lips when he felt Link leap onto him before his face was pummeled in a blur of blows. Every motion was mechanical, every strike finding its mark with robotic precision. Link soon tired of beating the man's face and jumped back, flipping backward off of his perch and landing on two feet.

His opponent stumbled back, hands instinctively reaching up to feel his mutilated face. Surprise faded to burning hatred and the man's fists clenched in tight balls, knuckles whitening. No more playing games, he was ready to fight.

Swinging his weight around, the man raised a leg in a roundhouse kick that would have taken Link's head off if he didn't snatch the man's ankle and flip him upside down, twisting the limb to a painful angle. It would be easy to break the man's femur with Link's newfound strength – he was having to restrain his power to keep from seriously injuring his opponent – but he wanted the fight to go on. He wanted to show the crowd how he was not someone to be coddled. He was a force to be reckoned with.

The man lashed out with his other leg and caught Link in the side, but Link simply jumped up and kicked him across the face, skull cracking against the floor of the arena. The man's eyes crossed and uncrossed but were still filled with rage as he stumbled to his feet. Even though Link was almost positive his opponent had a concussion the man raised his arms, already mottled with bruises.

Again the hurricane of blows came, but each punch was impossibly easy to parry and Link jabbed his fists into the man's side, his chest, adding to the patchwork of scars and reddened knuckle marks that crossed the man's body. The crowd was on their feet, gaping as Link easily tore apart his opponent.

The power was incredible, the force of a bullet behind his fists as Link punched and struck out, chipping away at the man's strength with every blow. They would never doubt that he was skilled again. He was incredible, he was _invincible._

The man staggered forward, face reddened with bruises and a thin veneer of blood from a motley of cuts and bruises that covered his visage. Link sprang forward, moving without thinking.

 _Heel to jaw, elbow to temple._

 _Swing over shoulder, knee to abdomen, again._

 _Hands on ears, sharp twist..._

Link froze, all energy rushing from his body in a second. The screams and jeers of the crowd lurched back into focus and the pain from his injuries made him gasp. He stared forward at the man kneeling before him, eyes no longer filled with ire but terrifying fear. Link didn't realize why until he noticed the position he was in, the position that seemed so natural. So instinctive.

Hands on ears, sharp twist. Ready to snap the man's neck. Ready to murder him.

Massive fists grabbed Link by the shoulders and dragged him roughly out of the ring, followed by mocking screeches and boos. A rock struck his cheek and Link felt blood trace tracks down his face, hot and sticky.

"What the 'ell do you think you're doing?" The bouncer roared, tossing Link into the street with no more effort than one would throw a rag doll. Link collapsed on the asphalt, feeling the coarse material bite into his elbows and knees. "You think we allow murders here? Get out and never come back!"

A car horn screamed in Link's ears and he rolled away as tires swerved past him, headlights blinding him as he scrambled to his feet. Every muscle and bone twinged with protest as he stood, and he limped out of the street. A low rumble echoed from the sky and Link looked up in time to see the gathered thunderheads release drizzles of rain, the cool droplets dappling the sidewalk.

The sidewalks were crowded and Link muscled his way through the crush of people. Most steered clear of him, taking care to give him a wide berth as he stormed past. Link had no destination, simply hurried through the rain until he was soaked to the bone and his feet could carry him no further.

A dimly lit restaurant beckoned to him from the street and he wandered in aimlessly, water plastering his hair to his skull. It took Link a moment to realize the restaurant was a bar, but getting carded was the least of his worries and he slumped onto a barstool, rainwater pooling around his elbows. A few of the customers gave him curious glances but he ignored them, staring dully forward.

He had almost murdered a man without even thinking about it. The power of the Triforce of Courage was incredible, certainly, but if he lost his rationality could he really kill an innocent man? Link clenched his blood-streaked fists to keep them from trembling. He despised the feeling of being weak again, the strength that had suddenly faded from him.

"The Hero would be sitting in a bar moaning about how unfair his life is. He would get up and research the silent realms." Link muttered to himself, running his tongue across his teeth. The tangy taste of blood made him wince.

"What can I get for you, son?" A portly bartender smiled at Link, running a hand over his white beard. Link simply fixed him with a glare and the man's smile sagged.

"That rough, huh? This one's on the house." He placed a small shot of some mystery liquid in front of Link. "You look pretty banged up, kid."

Link laughed, but it came out as a short barking sound. "You haven't heard the half of it."

The bartender raised his bushy eyebrows and smirked, then turned and waddled off to help another customer. Pensively Link swirled the liquid in his glass without drinking it, watching the ripples until a familiar voice called to him from another place on the bar.

"Hey, stranger. Long time no see."

Link swiveled to face no one other than Kindel perched on a stool. He almost didn't recognize the jesting Korok, whose face was scarred with burns and peppered with blackened spots. His leaflike face was a motley of angry blisters and scars, still raised and painful. The wounds made Link's jaw drop and he fumbled for a recovery.

"I thought you were still in the Forest Village!" He exclaimed, jumping forward.

"You mean you thought I was six feet under. Hey, I get it. You don't look so hot yourself, _Hero."_

He spat the word like a curse and Link bristled, tempted to reach for his sword and teach the disrespectful Korok a lesson. "You listen here, you little..."

"No, _you_ listen." Kindel's expressions twisted into a scowl. "You realize that you've ruined not only my life, but the lives of the entire Forest Village? Don't try to interrupt me, I'm just getting started. You know how many survivors we had from that fire? Twenty, maybe less. Remember how many Koroks were in the Forest Village?" Kindel's voice broke and Link felt shame burn in his stomach, only to be replaced by anger.

"There's not a day that goes by when I don't think of them!"

"Their blood is on your hands! And yes, Koroks have blood. I don't want any of your smartass comments." Kindel snapped, eyebrows lowering over dark eyes. "Almost all of the Forest Village is dead because of you."

"That was not my fault!" Link protested, rage clouding his thoughts. "Alder knew the risk, and so did the people!"

Kindel sneered. "Oh, yes. They died with words of praise for you on their lips. Our mighty Hero... What did their lives matter for the greater good?"

The poison in Kindel's tone was enough to render Link speechless. He recognized a trait in the Korok that he himself possessed – wisecracking to avoid the real truth, the painful truth. That Kindel was gone, though, and his fury was hot and raw.

"So we let you go, with high hopes for our Hero. I was sent as a scout to track your progress, if you can call it that. Alder would be disappointed in you." Kindel muttered a few words under his breath that were probably colorful Korok oaths.

"Disappointed? I have the Master Sword! I don't know if you got the memo, green machine, but this is the blade of evil's bane. I'd say that's damn good enough." Link retaliated. It was bad enough that Kindel was blaming Link for the Korok's deaths, but now he was insulting his character.

And Kindel was Roxus, back in Castle Town. _You a Cuccoo?_

"You waste valuable time that Gangstadorf is using to assemble an army with – because yeah, I don't know if you got _that_ memo, he's building an army. What are you doing up in Skyloft? Finding information a sacred flame like you should? No, racing birds, fighting punks from the streets and getting drunk. Forgive me for not kissing your boots, Your Nobleness."

Link fastened his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice. "It's not like that." He growled, and Kindel faked a gasp.

"Well, what am I missing? Do you feel sorry for yourself, the poor baby Hero who lost his princess? Do you wish you could just go back to Castle Town? You _scared?"_

Lunging forward, Link pinned Kindel to the bar's wall with his forearm. "You're going to regret that."

"You sicken me." Kindel spat, and Link released the pressure against the Korok's body, letting him fall to the ground.

 _He's right,_ the rational side of Link chided. _You've done nothing in Skyloft, and now you think you can wallow in pity?_

 _Some Hero._

"You're right." He whispered as Kindel picked himself up from the ground. The entire bar was staring at them now, unashamedly gawking at Link and his diminutive companion.

"What's that? I couldn't hear you over the sound of the Hero assaulting innocent Koroks." Kindel was still scowling, but his fiery rage had diminished somewhat.

"You're right!" Link yelled, voice amplified in the silence of the bar. Even the bartender was watching them with eyes the size of saucers. "I'm an idiot."

"And?" Kindel prompted, betraying the smallest, thinnest smile.

Link grinned ruefully. "A pile of Goron dung?"

"And?" Kindel was definitely smiling now, although his anger didn't appear to be entirely satisfied.

"A worthless excuse for a Hero?"

The Korok patted Link's arm, a gesture close to friendship. "That's more like it. Now you have to prove me wrong." He started for the door of the bar, leaflike head raised, and Link eyed him with uncertainty.

"Where exactly are we going?" He prompted, trailing after Kindel as they left the bar. Link tossed five rupees over his shoulder as he passed through the door, hoping it would pay for the drink.

Kindel glanced at Link over his shoulder before continuing confidently onto the sidewalk. "Where else? The library?"

Groaning, Link held his head in his hands. "You're kidding me, right? Looks like I've got a new Zelda."

Kindel replied in a serious tone that surprised Link. "That's exactly what you've got, kid."

After a moment of walking in silence Link stepped forward to walk beside Kindel. Every one of his paces matched two of Kindel's, so the Korok was struggling to keep up. A stray flare of anger passed through him and he looked down at the Korok. "You know I don't need a babysitter. This is my quest and mine alone."

"Yeah, and you're doing such a great job with it." Kindel replied sarcastically. When Link didn't respond he looked up and smirked. "This isn't some twisted deal about your pride, right? If I were you I would accept help when it comes."

Link scowled and shoved his hands in his pockets, knowing as always that Kindel was right. It was the same infuriating feeling he had experienced with Zelda, although suddenly it didn't seem to rankle him as it did before, a much more familiar feeling than an annoying one.

They wandered the streets until Link was beginning to wonder if Kindel even knew where he was going. The city of Skyloft seemed to stretch in every direction, filled with maze-like alleys and too many twists and turns to count. Finally they arrived in front of an old stone building that took Link's breath away.

The statue that formed the back of the library was weathered with age but still magnificent, with drapes of fabric flowing from the regal posture of a woman whose face was practically erased with age. The entrance to the temple appeared to be some sort of rotunda, but with closer inspection Link realized that the round center had been cut directly in half, with the half of the area remaining curving in to form the entrance to the library.

"What happened to it?" Link asked, raising his voice to be heard over the rain.

"Do I look like some expert on Skyloft?" Kindel replied sharply. "Ask the goddess." He jerked his head towards the enormous statue.

"Someone's in a good mood." Link grumbled, dodging a car as he crossed the street. A sharp horn blast echoed in the air as the car barreled past and darted out of sight.

The form of the goddess stretched above his head as he walked under the rotunda and into the library, eerily and comfortably like old times.

 **Nobody knows how to put someone in their place like Kindel.**

 **I was going to write up some imaginary foundation here and thought that Kindel should have his own "Ooh, Burn!" Society, but the irony was just too cruel. Reviews, favorites and follows go to my pun skills. Or to the "Ooh, Burn!" Society, of which I am certifiably a member :)**

 **Thanks as always for reading! I love to hear from you, so don't hesitate to tell me what you think so far!**

 **Until next time!**


	34. The Dark of Ages Past

**How you doin'? Hopefully well. Or good. Either is preferable :)**

 **I can think of actually nothing to say here, so let's just get ahead to the reading. That's what you're here for, right?**

 **In that case, read on!**

The library was unassuming from the outside, but the interior took Link's breath away.

Shelves and shelves of books soared to the heavens, rickety ladders leaning against the top. Arching ceilings and flickering lighting cast a mystical feel about the rooms, every book teeming with magic. Kindel let out a low whistle as he strode inside, spindly legs clattering when they made contact with the wooden floors.

"When they say library they mean _library."_ Link muttered, craning his neck back to see the tops of the shelves. "There must be every book in existence here!"

"You're not too far off." Kindel noted. "This is one of the most renowned research centers in the world. Good for us, too. How did you know to come to Skyloft, anyways?"

A memory flickered through Link's mind, of another library miles below this one. "Got a tip, that's all."

Kindel wandered over to the information desk, still admiring the architecture. Link followed his gaze to the sweeping columns and grandiose sculptures, still partly in shock at the library's sheer size.

"How did you figure out I was here, anyways? How did you track me?" Link asked in an undertone, suddenly suspicious. If someone like Kindel could track him down so easily surely Gangstadorf could as well. Was he really that exposed?

"Trust me, someone as important as the Hero doesn't go unnoticed." Quirking an eyebrow, Kindel gave Link a small smile. "You leave behind a trail, you know."

"A trail?" Link pressed, quickening his pace to catch up with his new companion.

"Oh, sure. Well, it's really the Master Sword we can track. The blade of evil's bane, that kind of magic leaves a trail. And besides the aura of Courage just radiating from you, you're like a beacon."

"I thought it was just my radiant personality."

Kindel laughed, a short and guttural sound. "I'm joking. We put a tracker on your sword."

"What?" Jumping back, Link reached for the Master Sword. "Doesn't that break a law or something? Talk about invasion of privacy!"

The Korok sighed with exasperation. "It was just until we could find you. Besides, no one else knows about it. Gangstadorf can't hijack it or anything like that – don't give me that look, this isn't an action movie. What's the harm?"

Unable to refute Kindel's claims, Link followed him in silence until they reached the information desk. A willowy woman sat behind it, nose buried in a book that was about as thick as Kindel was tall. She was so involved in reading that she didn't notice when Link walked up, watching her expectantly.

"Excuse me, I was wondering –" Link began, and the woman waved a hand at him.

"Not now! Star Prince is just about to profess love to Apophradita!"

"Well, I'll just be on my way then." Link grumbled. "Give them my regards, will you?"

Kindel was too short to see over the desk, so he gave Link a swift kick to the shin to get his attention. "Why isn't she giving us information?"

Link scowled and kicked him back, narrowly missing as Kindel dodged out of the way. "Look, ma'am, this is important..."

She waved her arm again, more urgently. "As important as penetrating the Galactic Interpenitentiary? If so I'm all ears."

"Oh, sure." Link replied flippantly. "Just one guy with a toothpick and a stick-man who want to cleanse my soul and take down Gangstadorf's crime empire. And one of them might be the Hero of Time. No big deal, right?"

"That would be me. The Hero of Time." Kindel piped up from the floor.

Slamming her book down on the desk with a resounding bang, the woman stared at Link with an uncomfortable intensity. "Now I'm listening."

Kindel attempted a series of flying leaps in an attempt to reach the top of the desk, finally extending his arms and flying up on top of the woman's book. She didn't appear remotely fazed by the magic, simply regarding Kindel as if he were another stack of books on her desk.

"Now that we're situated..." Link shot Kindel a glare. "I was wondering if you knew anything about something called a silent realm."

The woman bobbed her head fervently to the point where Link wondered if she would receive whiplash. "I'm quite familiar with them. The saga of the Hero of Time is a personal study of mine."

 _Well, I'm living it. Join the club._ "Great. So... What exactly are they?"

"You were so not prepared for this." Kindel stage-whispered, and Link restrained the urge to smash his smug little face into the bookshelves.

"Why don't I show you? If you'll follow me." The woman smiled started down a flight of stairs with marble that curled like a scroll, threads of darker colors and gold weaving together to form one large canvas. The entire structure should have been made for a king, not a library.

The woman caught his glance and smiled again. "The library was originally a temple to the goddess Hylia. Everything here was fit for the gods. Marvelous, isn't it?"

She led them through towering bookshelves and narrow alleyways formed by stacks of scrolls until Link was utterly lost. Kindel scuttled about behind them, straining to keep up on his short legs as they foraged through the forest of paper and leather.

Link caught sight of the woman's nametag and attempted to make small talk as they wandered. "So, Miss..."

"You can call me Orielle." She glanced over her shoulder and smiled. "It's been a long time since someone came asking about silent realms. They're not exactly a walk in the park, if you know what I mean."

Link swallowed, hard. "Right."

"We have some wonderful old scrolls that illustrate the process. Did you know the tests were made for the first Hero of Time? They prove spiritual growth. I think it's lovely."

"Of course you would." Link heard Kindel whisper behind him.

"Tell your leafy friend I work at a library. I've gotten used to the mutterings of the crowd and I can hear you loud and clear."

Link turned to Kindel and grinned. The Korok made an ugly face in response and trailed after Link sourly in silence.

Finally they reached their destination – a mound of scrolls dusty with age and disuse. The edges of the parchment were cracked and torn with age, each sheaf seemingly too delicate to touch. Orielle's fingers flitted over the paper and she rolled out a single scroll over a nearby table, whose surface illuminated to reveal intricate runes and faded paintings.

"This illustrates one of the silent realms from ages ago. It was presumably in some sort of forest."

Link shot Kindel a glance and was rewarded with another scowling expression.

"Here the author details the process of the silent realms." Orielle pointed to a line of text. The letters were alien to Link, all twists and delicate curls, but Orielle read them easily.

"It says here – roughly, mind, my Ancient Hylian is pretty rusty – that the Hero thrusts his blade into the trial gate, where he will be tested in mind, spirit and body." Her eyes briefly flickered to the Master Sword on Link's back before returning to the parchment. "The rest is all a hodgepodge, some stuff about the goddesses here and there. You know, some of these runes never appear in any other documents. We have no way to translate them. I guess we'll never know." She sighed, observing the parchment with a tinge of sadness coloring her features.

"Orielle, it doesn't say where the trial gates are located, does it?" Kindel clambered onto a chair until he was roughly level with Link's waist.

"Oh, certainly." She turned back to the paper. "Again, I can't translate it too well, but here there are definitely runes I know. Let's see... Water, tide, ocean. I'd say your trial gate is somewhere on the coast."

Kindel's scowl deepened and he sat down on a pile of books pensively. "Well, that narrows it down to all the beaches in the realm. Wonderful."

"Not necessarily." An inquisitive gleam leapt to Orielle's eyes and she pulled out two more scrolls, one noticeably newer than the first. "This is a map of Hyrule from the era of the silent realm scroll."

A long stretch of paper rolled out over the table, lines a stark contrast to the light from the table below. Even though the map was old and obviously distorted, Link could make out a few features. The emerald-green paint of the forest reminded him of his own map and Zelda's keen notes on her map of Hyrule.

"And this is a map of Hyrule today." Orielle set out the other map directly on top of the first, the borders overlaying each other, blending at some points and diverging dramatically at others.

Kindel observed the maps as best he could from his vantage point. "Wow, Hyrule has really changed. How exactly does this help us?"

Orielle smiled at Kindel and tapped her finger on a single stretch of coastline, lines unchanged from the old and new maps. "Well, I'm going to have to hypothesize here, but let's assume the goddesses are making silent realms for the Hero. Obviously the world will change over time, so they want to choose a location that will stay relatively similar throughout eternity. And here it is! It's a small beach far in the south, not entirely famous. Remote, removed from threats and Gangstadorf... That would be my guess."

"That's a mother of a guess, lady." Kindel snorted, and Orielle crossed her arms.

"Would you rather comb all the beaches in Hyrule? I'll take this." Link angled his head to the map on the table. Although he didn't look happy about it, Kindel released a short huff of consent.

"So how to we find the silent realm? I'm guessing there's not a flashing neon sign." Link turned to Orielle.

The librarian shrugged, a fluid gesture of nonchalance. "No one really knows, there hasn't been a Hero in ages. I can only assume there would be something to guide you to it."

"Like a tour guide? That's what I'm talking about!" Kindel piped up.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a calling, a pull to the ocean. You'll understand when you get there." Orielle smiled, eyes fixed on the Master Sword in its sheath. "To think that I would meet the real Hero..."

Link glanced over his shoulder, suddenly very aware of their presence and of the threat of Gangstadorf's spies. "Yeah, can we stay a little hush-hush on the Hero business?"

Orielle opened her mouth to reply when a resounding crash echoed in the library, followed by the flurry of paper and a bone-chilling, distinctly inhuman speech.

"They've found you! I don't know how, but they've found you!" Orielle whispered, taking Link's hand and dragging him away from the table and the stacks of scrolls. "We must hurry! If Gangstadorf finds you here you're dead."

"No more danger than usual." Link joked feebly as he ran after Orielle. They darted behind a pile of loose-leaf paper as tall as Link's shoulders when a faint snuffling sounded from a nearby corridor. Around the corner prowled a Bokoblin, snoutlike nose in the air as it crept closer and closer to their hiding place. Carefully Link drew the Master Sword, suddenly remembering Kindel's comment about the tracking device. How had he not noticed?

Link's attention was drawn back to the Bokoblin when it raised a horn to its lips and prepared to sound the alarm. Leaping forward, he stabbed the blade into the monster's stomach before the breath escaped its lips and the Bokoblin collapsed to the ground, shrieking in pain. The sound was enough to alert the other Bokoblins, who replied with their own trumpeting horns.

Link uttered a curse and raised the Master Sword as a Bokoblin's club swung down towards his head, knobbled wood splintering on the sword's edge. He slashed the blade across the Bokoblin's throat, pivoting to block another blow from a dagger. The second Bokoblin was more crafty than the first, using his weapon to penetrate Link's defenses and aim for weak points. Lashing out with his foot, Link shoved his heel into the Bokoblin's chest and propelled him back into the oncoming wave of monsters.

Kindel shouted from behind the pile of paper, and a crazy idea sprang forward in Link's mind. Darting around to the back of Kindel and Orielle's hiding place, he took out the strange bellows from the swamp temple and released the churning winds, which scattered the paper into the air like a synthetic snowfall. The flurry of white blinded the Bokoblins momentarily, but the distraction wouldn't last for long. Orielle took Kindel's hand and dragged him after her, with Link in pursuit as she wove her way through the library's immense bookshelves and winding staircases.

Soon the enraged shouts of the Bokoblins faded to whispers and Orille leaned against a pile of ancient-looking tomes, panting. Link held the bellows ready, still expecting the Bokoblins to barrel around the corner at any moment. When Orielle could speak again she placed a hand on the item, eyes wide.

"The Gust Bellows!" Her voice was breath when she spoke. "A weapon of the first Hero, the stuff of legend! Where did you find it?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I said garage sale, would you?"

Another grating shriek sounded from the library and Orielle blanched. She grasped Link's hands in hers, eyes boring into his with deadly seriousness.

"I've done for you all I can, Hero. The rest is up to you. Go to the silent realm! Hyrule needs you more than ever now."

"Wait!" Kindel scurried over to Orielle, features twisted with concern. "There are three silent realms. How will we know where to find them?"

Orielle smiled, expression somehow intimidating and calm at the same time. "Trust me, Korok, the information you so seek will become clear to you. All is revealed in its due time."

"I could do without the riddles right now!" Kindel shouted over the trampling of Bokoblin feet, steadily growing louder and louder.

"Orielle, it's not safe!" Link protested, but she simply shook her head.

"I have helped the Hero of Time, and that is all I ask for. Now go! Take a right and you'll see the exit door. Go, or Hyrule's hope will be lost forever!"

As Link turned and sprinted to the exit, Kindel in tow, he wondered if she was right.

 **And that, kids, is why you never go to the Restricted Section at Hogwarts. Er, what was I talking about?**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Gust Bellows Appreciation Guild, where we treat certain Skyward Sword items like they're more than just bags of wind. Speaking of bags of wind, long author's notes are awful, so I'll start wrapping things up.**

 **Thanks as always for reading! Go get 'em, slugger. (You can tell I've just started watching the Flash)**

 **Until next time!**


	35. South By Southwest

**Helloooooo my friends and welcome back to Remnants! which now has 100 reviews *dies***

 **(The dead urge you to read on!)**

As they darted to the back door of the library, shrieks of Bokoblins echoing in their ears, Kindel scampered up onto Link's shoulder. Twiglike hands clutched Link's hair and tugged as a sign to go faster. Wincing at Kindel's painful pulls, Link restrained himself from throwing the Korok to the fast-approaching Bokoblins and simply ran on.

"You know," Kindel noted as he bobbed up and down on Link's shoulder, "I was wondering... Are all librarians this nice?"

"Are you kidding? They're like saints." Link replied, ducking under a leaning ladder caked with dust from age.

"I bet they have some subversive secret society that helps rebels in their quests against Gangstadorf." Kindel climbed to his feet and wrenched a handful of Link's hair to the side. "Bokoblins are coming!"

"Funny, I didn't notice." Link growled as an arrow whizzed by and embedded itself in a dictionary taller than Kindel himself.

"Anyways, back to my conspiracy theory. I noticed the librarian in Kasuto Town also has some interests that don't exactly align with everyone's favorite dictator, you know?"

Link turned his head to get a good look at Kindel, nearly slamming into a book trolley in the process. "When did you get to go to Kasuto?"

Kindel's features twisted into an expression of polite disdain. "I bet you think I'm just your average Korok, don't you? Well, I wouldn't expect anything else from such a simple-minded..."

Link scowled and slammed his shoulder into the exit door, causing Kindel to nearly topple from his perch as the door swung open to a wide alley behind the library. "Get on with it, will you?"

"Sorry, just got carried away there." Kindel flashed him a wicked grin. "I've been scoping out Hyrule for hundreds of years, watching as the word changes. You get to know a thing or two from being Alder's top scout."

Link held up a hand and slowed to a stop, ducking behind a pile of trash bags reeking of waste. "Hold up just a second. Hundreds of years? And you're Alder's top scout? Are there any other secrets I need to know about His Highness? Are you the real Hero or something?"

"I think Hyrule would be better off if I were." Kindel replied crisply, jumping from Link's shoulder to the top of a dumpster. Link bristled and clenched his fists, wishing for nothing more than to teach the insolent Korok a lesson.

"On your questions – yes, I've been alive for hundreds of years. It's not a big deal, only two hundred and fifty or so. Don't give me that look, I'm still young in Korok years. The Deku Tree lived for eons before he finally passed away."

Link crossed his arms but couldn't keep a small smile from his face. "Okay, old-timer, whatever you say. How does a senile fellow like you end up as Alder's top scout?"

Kindel shook his head. "Walked right into that one. I'm Alder's top scout because I'm the best. I have the uncanny talent of going about unnoticed, which you witnessed firsthand. Or rather, you didn't."

"You wouldn't be hard to miss, seeing as you're about as tall as my knee." Link retaliated and the Korok scowled, pointing a finger at Link.

"I'm not short! I'm... Vertically challenged!"

Raising his eyebrows, Link shrugged. "Whatever you want to call it, man."

The all-too-familiar sounds of Bokoblins echoed in the depths of the alley and Kindel leaped onto Link's shoulder again. "Onward, my steed!"

Biting back some choice words to call Kindel, Link ducked out of their hiding place and onto the street, which was just as busy. A few passersby gave them strange looks as they barreled onto the sidewalk, breathless and wild-eyed, but soon their attention was drawn to other things and they looked away.

"We need to get out of Skyloft. Too many eyes, too many spies." Kindel muttered. "How poetic."

"Yeah, great." Link spun in a circle, trying to get his bearings. This part of the city was unfamiliar, with looming buildings, crowds of people and all varieties of other creatures pressing in at all sides. Kindel held tightly to Link's head to keep from falling off in the swift movement of the masses.

"We need to get back to the surface!" Kindel hollered over the steady buzz of activity, voice nearly drowned out in a fanfare of car horns.

"Aren't you a right genius? Any ideas on how to do that?"

Kindel stamped his feet on Link's shoulder. "Do I look like a taxi service?"

Link spun again, trying to look Kindel in the eye. "You don't look like a master spy, either. Why don't you just fly us out of here? I have my Deku Leaf with me."

The Korok snorted and Link was sure he was rolling his eyes. "Thought of that already. There's not enough wind, and I can't summon anything without being seen."

"Summon..." Link's eyes widened and he ran to the curb, then released the shrillest, loudest taxicab whistle he could.

"Jeez, if you wanted to deafen me – _oh my Hylia –_ "

In a flash of crimson a Loftwing darted down from the sky, wings beating furiously as she slowed her descent onto the street. The smothering crowds were buffeted by the force of her wingbeats, cars honking as she landed in the middle of traffic. Scar tilted her head to observe Link with one eye, then butted her beak against his hand in a sign of affection.

"You didn't tell me you had a Din-forsaken _Loftwing!"_ Kindel screeched, and Scar screeched right back, causing Kindel to topple from his perch and onto the ground.

"Nice one." Link muttered to the Loftwing as Kindel scrambled to his feet, groaning and cursing. Scar ruffled her feathers and snorted shortly.

"There is no way I'm getting onto that thing." The Korok ordered, crossing his sticklike arms definitively.

Link smirked and snatched Kindel at the waist, tossing him onto the back of the Loftwing and climbing on himself. "Unfortunately that's not your choice to make, old man. All right, Scar, we're going to the surface."

Stretching her powerful wings above her, Scar took off in a flurry of feathers. Kindel's panicked screaming mixed with the rushing of the wind as Scar climbed higher and higher, darting through the sky like an arrow. An easy grin spread across Link's face as they flew, carefully guiding Scar to the edge of Skyloft. After a near miss with a helicopter they had reached the end of the floating city.

Turning around, Link nudged the petrified Kindel with his boot. "You might want to hold onto something. We're going to dive."

"Oh no you don't!" Kindel retorted. "There is _no way_ I am riding this thing to the surface! No earthly –"

"Let's go down, Scar." Link ordered, and the Loftwing tucked her wings to her sides, perpendicular to the ground as the plummeted to the surface. Kindel clutched the back of Link's shirt and wailed like a child as they fell, Scar's powerful body aiming perfectly their descent.

"Make it stop!" Kindel pounded on Link's arm with his hand.

Link turned around and shrugged. "Sorry, there's a Loftwing, I can't hear you!"

"I'm going to kill you for this!" Kindel roared, but the threat of his statement was undermined by his high-pitched screams when Scar increased speed.

The flight to the surface was exhilarating, wind tearing at Link's hair and clothes, Scar's wings angling perfectly to control their descent. It ended all too soon, though, and soon the Loftwing extended her wings and slowed to a gradual stop only fifty yards from the ferry boarding station. The power of her wingbeats bent the grass in a circle around them. Link slid down from Scar's back and looked up at Kindel, who lay trembling and silent, which was very unlike him.

"Hey super spy, we have a beach to comb, remember?" Link angled his head to the side, where Epona was thankfully still parked. "Don't worry, it'll be land travel from here."

"Have I ever mentioned how much I despise you?" Kindel moaned weakly, rolling over and tottering down from Scar's back with trembling steps.

"Every second of the day." Link murmured, then turned back to Scar. "Can I call you if I ever need you again?"

The Loftwing bowed her head in an uncannily close representation of nodding. Link patted her beak and she rocketed into the sky, a bullet of sinewy strength. In seconds she was only a red dot in the clear blue sky, then she vanished entirely from sight.

"I hate flying." Kindel grumbled, weaving his way over to Link with a dazed expression on his face.

"Why? I saw you flying just fine in the Forest Village." Link noted, and the Korok shook his head vigorously.

"That kind of flying isn't the problem. Flying on a giant bird that you can't control as it free-falls from the sky?" Kindel shuddered. "Not my kind of flying."

Link shrugged, feeling the strap of the Master Sword dig into his shoulder. "At least you _can_ fly, sans leaf and giant bird."

The Korok smirked slightly, the ghost of his usual smug confidence. "Well, what would you do if you could fly?"

Link shrugged again, pondering. "Probably rob a bank or something."

Kindel groaned again. "And here's our mighty, righteous Hero. Bow down before him! You are unfit to lick the soles of his boots!"

Frowning, Link turned to Kindel and pulled his leg back. "You're about to know firsthand what the soles of my boot taste like, old-timer. Or should I call Scar back down again?"

"Y-you don't have to do that!" Kindel waved his arms in an effort to keep Link from summoning the Loftwing.

Soon they had boarded Epona, albeit with some difficulty. Kindel straddled the front mudguard, keeping his stumpy legs clear of the wheel, and didn't look happy about it. Link had to be careful about sharp turns so that the small Korok wouldn't go flying off of the wheel and into a nearby ditch.

The journey to the coast was relatively direct to the south, so Link didn't have to focus too much on navigation. This was a welcome benefit, since Zelda had been the GPS for the majority of his journey. The ferry stop for Skyloft wasn't too far from the coast, either, so Link only had to stand a few hours of Kindel's constant complaining.

"Why can't I just sit on the saddle with you?"

"I think you're aiming for the potholes."

And the infamous, "Are we there yet?"

As they drove on Link detected a noticeable shift in the air, the very atmosphere of the terrain. The air took on a salty tang that was foreign to him, and the ground gave way from rough hills and grassland to sandy, shifting soil. Soon the road he was on gave out altogether into a strange offroad path twisting between dunelike hills of sand. He was reminded of the Sandsea, although the coast lacked the pounding heat and vicious sandstorms the desert had so kindly presented.

Kindel seemed to perk up as they drew closer to the sea, standing up on the mudguard occasionally to peek over the sand dunes and see if they had reached their destination. Link had no idea what to expect but he too felt a stirring of excitement within him, mixed with dread. The librarian hadn't exactly been a comfort when she spoke about the silent realms, and he didn't like to go into a challenge blind.

Just as Link was about to call for a break Kindel leaped to his feet, pointing vigorously at the horizon.

"Look! Look! We're there!"

Twisting to the side, Link brought Epona to a halt and ran after Kindel who was frantically scrambling up a particularly daunting dune. He caught up with the Korok, who was half-buried in sand, and pulled him to the top of the sandy hill to see the stretch of the ocean before him.

The view was breathtaking, glistening blue as far as the eye could see. Every fathomable color was woven into the waves, from deep greens to the red of sunset glancing off of foaming crests. The beach was painted with yellow strokes of dampened sand, and the brilliant blue of the ocean shifted and intertwined with other shades like a canvas.

Link stared until Kindel nudged him sharply in the shin. "Hey, are you dead or something? Let's get a move on."

Waving him off, Link kept his eyes fixed on the horizon. "No, just a minute."

The Korok laughed shortly, although it wasn't derogatory. "Let me guess, you've never seen the sea before. How poetic again."

Link slowly sat down on the sand dune, watching as the sun sank to the horizon, a crown of red and golden light. "I'd never left Castle Town before this crazy Hero adventure."

"Crazy's for sure." Kindel sat beside him, squinting into the sunset.

They sat in silence for a few minutes longer before Kindel drew Link's attention to a dilapidated pile of wood near the end of the rolling dunes. The planks were stained and rotten, but deep scoured marks were still visible on the wood's surface. Kindel pointed one spindly finger at the strange marks.

"See that? Ancient Hylian."

"You can read it?" Link's brow furrowed and he glanced at Kindel, who was nodding assertively.

"Of course I can. The Deku Tree spoke Ancient Hylian, all Koroks have to learn at least a little to get by. As Alder's scout I know the language pretty well. That sign says 'Great Bay.'"

"So you could read that scroll Orielle showed us?" Link frowned as Kindel nodded again.

"Easily. I could read the language better than her when I was born." The Korok boasted, puffing out his wooden chest. "She got the main point across, what with the ocean and water, whatever. But she missed the part about going into the water where the spirits would claim you."

"Claim me? Sounds pleasant."

"I don't see why they would want to claim such a –"

Link placed a hand none too gently across Kindel's mouth. "I'll just cut you off there."

Slowly he stood, brushing the sand from his trousers, and started to walk to the water's edge. Kindel muttered something unintelligible behind him and scampered in his footsteps, slipping and sliding down the slope until he reached the firmer sand.

Link's boots left deep prints in the wet sand as he walked forward, watching as the sun slowly slipped below the horizon and painted the waves deep navy hues and dark purple. The crashing of the water echoed in his ears, deeply lulling and strangely familiar. A sharp burning spread across his left hand and he glanced down to see a low golden light emanating from the leather.

"Kindel... You know what Orielle said about a calling?" Link shouted back to the Korok. His feet seemed to know where they was going, a direct course to the surf.

"Where are you going?" Kindel barked, chasing after Link as fast as his short legs would carry him. "We need to think this through!"

"Think fast!" Link yelped as the water curled around his ankles and crept towards his knees. A memory of the flooded room in Din's temple came to mind and he pushed down the growing panic in his stomach.

"Well, do I just _wait_ for your spirit to get cleansed or something?" Kindel yelled from behind him. The water had climbed to Link's knees now, and he continued to walk with no indication of stopping.

"The golden goddesses seem to have a soft spot for drowning." He cursed as the water lapped up to his thighs.

Kindel's voice was nearly drowned out in the roar of the waves. "This is a strange goodbye..."

"No kidding!" Link yelled back, lower half of his body numbing with cold as the water rose higher. The frigid waves climbed up to his stomach, filling his boots with water and soaking his clothes. "Just wait here, okay?"

"Have fun getting your spirit tested!" Kindel shouted after him. Steadily the water rose higher and higher. Taking in a deep breath, Link's head was submerged and he dove under the waves.

 **"There's a tank, I can't hear you!" ~ Luis,** ** _Ant-Man_**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Silent Realm Scholarship, where young scholars can study and may actually learn something about these ambiguous silent realms. Anyone who's played Skyward Sword is internally screaming right now... These things were creepy.**

 **OKAY SO both Remnants and TTC hit 100 reviews this week which has been my goal** ** _since I made an account_** **I'm actually screaming THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! *throws confetti and released partyparrots***

 **Until next time!**


	36. The Sound of Silence

**Silent Realms! *silent screaming***

 **Enjoy and read on!**

It was one thing to see the ocean for the first time, but it was another experience altogether to be completely submerged in it.

Link held his breath for as long as he could, then realized that oxygen was strangely and suddenly available. His head whipped from side to side, taking in the scene before him. His boots sank into the murky sand of the ocean floor, the water cloudy and dark as he walked deeper and deeper into the water. Currents drifted past lazily, billowing his clothes out before him. Carefully Link fished the Pirate's Charm out of his pocket, and the stone cast a bluish glow about him, barely enough to illuminate the navy water.

Finally his inner compass stopped and he stood on a raised sandbar, tendrils of coral clawing their way to the light all around him. The world was dark and utterly quiet, the only sound the rush of the water around him. Every motion was alien – whenever he moved a limb his body seemed to reach too slowly, then reach out to far in an awkward dance across the sand. The sandbar he stood on didn't seem special by any means, but Link drew the Master Sword, tying the Pirate's Charm around the sword's hilt. _For luck._

Remembering Orielle's advice, Link raised the sword above his head. The combined light of the blade and the Pirate's Charm cast a glow like a shaft of sunlight across the ocean floor, details and shadows swirling through the rippling light. Tightening his grip on the sword's hilt, Link aimed the Master Sword for the center of the sandbar and plunged the weapon into the silt up to the hilt. Sand billowed away from the point, settling in the folds of his clothes and across the water.

Nothing happened.

"Just perfect." Link groaned, his voice echoing in the eerie timbre of the water. He was about to tug the sword out and try again when a strange sensation filled him, like cold water draining down his back. Strange blue light, like a thousand will-o-the-wisps, surrounded him, filling the water with a blazing blue light. Link was blinded by the searing light, and when he opened his eyes again he was in a different place altogether.

The world appeared to be make of light, pulsing slowly and erratically across rising dunes of sand and slopes of cliffs. It was like the very air was holding its breath, a knot of panic growing in Link's stomach. His hand tightened on the Master Sword and he observed the scene in a new light. The rolling dunes seemed oddly sinister, the everything oddly out of proportion and decidedly alien.

"Good, you made it here." A voice echoed in the silence, reverberating a thousand times in Link's ears. He jumped about a foot in the air, kicking up sand over a pattern on the ground he hadn't noticed before. An electric blue circle surrounded him, its diameter about as wide as he was tall, intricately decorated with runes and a design not unlike the petals of a flower.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The voice spoke again, this time with a tinge of exasperation. Link raised the Master Sword, turning in a slow circle and now mindful of the design on the ground.

"Who are you?" He shouted, pointing the sword in all directions. "I warn you, I'm armed!"

The voice released a languid sigh. "I have _eyes,_ you know. Aren't you so special with that pretty little toothpick there? This is me, astonished."

Link rolled his eyes. Just what he wanted – his first time in a silent realm and Kindel had somehow followed him in. Now he could listen to sarcastic comments while he made a fool of himself.

"As for the question on who I am, does it really matter?"

Partly to stall for time Link mulled over the question. "Well, I guess not."

"Now that we've cleared that up, let me properly introduce myself. You see, I wouldn't be needed if you had a sword spirit. You don't happen to have a sword spirit, do you?"

Link glanced down at the Master Sword, which stayed stubbornly silent. "I don't think so." He wondered what the Master Sword's spirit would be like – probably a trigger-happy badass.

"Then we'll have to make do. I'll be helping you out with your silent realm experience. Trademarked by the golden goddesses, mind. You and your new-fangled technologies! Back in my day we had sword spirits. Anyways, back to the point. This is your first silent realm, isn't it?"

Link nodded slowly, sheathing the Master Sword. "Sure is."

The voice chuckled in a somewhat sinister tone. "Oh, it's always hilarious to watch them blunder through the first one. I'm sure the Guardians and the Watchers enjoy it too. If they talked, of course, and weren't too busy trying to gore the Heroes with spears and such."

Staggering back a step, Link viewed the area with even more caution. The knot of panic in his stomach felt more like a basketball now. "Wait, _what?"_

"Oh, are they not here yet. Just a second. You know, if you had brought a sword spirit..." The voice grumbled. Almost immediately a change was cast over the area. The brilliant light dimmed to a muted, yet still eerie glow, but a new feature of the landscape was easily more terrifying.

Massive creatures patrolled the area, each armed with weapons and instruments more horrifying than the last. Beasts with dog-like faces and brawny bodies stood upright, cloaked in armor and standing perfectly still. Every limb seemed stretched out of proportion, a little too long to be normal. Their hanging faces were drawn and perfectly blank, expressionless as they waited.

A floating being ran circles around the area Link stood in, bobbing up and down. Most of its body was covered in a long robe, and ghostly hands clenched a rod from which hung a sort of spotlight. The light bathed a perfect circle of sand in light blue, a stark contrast to the now-dimmed light that formed the other features of the silent realm.

"I'm screwed."

"There's that positivity I love." The voice drawled. "Let me explain to you what's going to happen, okay?

"Have at it, dude."

"Thank you. Since this is your first time in a silent realm, let me show you some of the features you're going to see in your journey. The tall twig-men? Those are Guardians. Once you step out of the protective circle or step in waking water they'll be on your tail. Those double-swords? Unless you want to be mincemeat you'd better run hella fast. See, I'm catching up on the modern slang!

"Then, over there with the lantern, those are the Watchers. I'd advise you to stay out of _this_ spotlight. And you see over there?"

Link crossed his arms, biting back his growing irritation. "You're a disembodied voice. I can't see what you're pointing at."

"Right, of course. Well, over there beyond that small hill, by that large rock? That's waking water. You can see how the Guardians and Watchers are placidly waiting for the beginning of your trial? Step in that water and they won't be to so patient anymore.

"And finally, see the small glowing thing in front of the rock?"

"You're a poet, really." Link rolled to the back of his heels, feeling the budding pressure of the task at hand.

"Those are tears of light. Oh, I should give this to you." With a burst of light a flower bloomed in front of Link, petals a ghostly white that matched the eerie light of the tears and the Watchers. "You'll use this to collect the tears. The tears stop the Guardians' and the Watchers' violent rampage, which is a plus. There's also light fruit scattered around, which will project beacons above the remaining tears. Pretty useful, huh?"

"Forgive me if I don't applaud." Link muttered, wishing for nothing more than to draw his sword and gut the strange voice.

"You're a riot, Hero. Can I continue? There's a catch, though."

"I just adore catches." Link growled, starting to pace within the circle.

"The tears of light will stall the Guardians and Watchers... Temporarily."

Link's heart dropped to his feet. "What?"

"You're have ninety seconds to collect another tear, or they'll awaken again." The voice spoke slowly, almost apologetically.

"Let me get this straight. I get a tear, then have ninety seconds to find another one. If I don't the demonic beings will string my guts out like a clothesline. How many tears are there?"

"Oh, just ten. Nothing too hefty." The voice replied with a tone close to levity.

"Great." Link spat, then looked up at the sky. "Can I at least call you something?"

"What?"

He shrugged, attempting to make light of the situation. "Well, if I need to ask you a question it's kind of awkward to go, 'Hey, Disembodied Voice!' A little too lengthy, if you get what I mean."

"I agree," The voice mused. "Well, what do you want to call me?"

Link twisted his features in a look of mock concentration. "I dunno. Fred has a nice ring to it."

The voice – Fred – gave a loud groan. "I, a treasured adviser of the golden goddesses, who has watched Heroes save the realm for millennia, am finally given a name. And you choose _Fred?_ Why not something epic, like Stormbringer or Reaper?"

"How about Armageddon?" Link proposed, smiling slightly despite the anxiety clawing at his stomach.

"I agree from now on I shall not be dubbed Fred –" Link could almost imaging the voice shuddering – "But Armageddon!"

"It's got a nice ring to it too. So, when do we start this silent realm business?" Link drew the Master Sword, eyeing the nearest Guardian apprehensively. _Maybe if I can aim for the opening in their robes..._

"One last thing." Armageddon sounded relieved when he spoke, having dodged a bullet with the name business. "You'll have to leave the Master Sword with me."

"What?" Link yelped, reaching back for the hilt of the sword.

"Is that all you can say? 'What?' 'What?' That should be _your_ name..." Armageddon mused, and Link shook his head firmly. His hand grasped empty space where the Master Sword should have been, and he turned to see the scabbard and weapon vanish in a flash of ghostly light. "You must understand, you will be defenseless in the silent realm. This is a trial of spirit, not swordplay."

Link's breath caught in his throat and he forced himself to stay calm. This was _exactly_ what he had been fearing: alone and afraid in a strange and alien world, where creatures lurked with the sole purpose to destroy him. He had no support, no items to help him, and even the native disembodied voice couldn't assist him in any way. Sweat pricked his palms and the air seemed unusually frigid.

"If you're going to faint, try to faint inside of the circle. That way the Guardians don't decapitate you." Armageddon added unhelpfully.

Link's boot nudged something in the circle and he pried open his eyes to see the Pirate's Charm lying on the sand, half-buried. He slipped it around his neck, feeling the stone settle against his frantically beating heart.

If Zelda were here she would probably make fun of him first and foremost, then say something reassuring. He could almost imagine her standing next to him, glowing with the spirit-essence that dappled the silent realm in pulsing light.

But Zelda was gone. Her jokes and reassurances had been stolen from him an in instant.

And whose fault was that?

Armageddon butted in again, voice resounding and rippling through the air. "Were you wondering how you can breathe? Just came to me. That would be your Korok friend – wonderful magic they've got, by the way. Since your physical body is still underwater you might want to get a move on. Before your miniscule companion can't keep up the spell and you drown with your spirit trapped in the silent realm forever. On the plus side, you'd get to listen to the sound of my voice for the rest of your life! A win-win, right?"

Link closed his eyes briefly, shutting out the silent realm for a second more. His hand tightened on the Pirate's Charm, feeling a small bloom of warmth that emanated from the stone's core. _For you, Zelda, anything._

"I can do this." He muttered, walking to the edge of the circle.

"That's the spirit! Get it? Spirit, spirit realm... Well, I thought it was funny." Armageddon sounded sullen, not a promising sentiment.

Link scanned the area, spotting a tear of light relatively quickly. The tear was about the size of his fist, with a sort of tail on the top this did add to the idea of a 'tear.' It glowed brightly, casting a warm light about it in an almost welcoming sense. Without another thought he stepped forward to the edge of the circle when Armageddon interrupted yet again.

"Now, just think about this for a second. You don't want to regret this, do you? Be careful with your next move."

"Shut up." Link replied coolly, then jumped over the protection circle and into the silent realm.

Immediately the mood of the world shifted. Everything was thrown into relief, doused in scarlet red, violent purples and blues that shifted and thrashed across the landscape and the sky. The Guardians and the Watchers jolted upright, heads snapping up and latching onto Link. Beams of light from their eye sockets pinned onto his chest, armor-plated fingers tightening on swords and massive clubs. Adrenaline pounded through his body as the Guardians sprang forward, holding their weapons aloft and sprinting towards him with impossible speed.

For one horrifying second Link was paralyzed by fear, unmoving as the nightmarish creatures advanced toward him. They seemed to swell and grow in size, the world spinning beneath him as the all-too-real apparitions came closer. With difficulty he forced himself to move and leaped for the tear, hand latching onto the glowing object as the fell to the sand.

It was as if a switch was flipped – the Guardians and Watchers froze where they stood, relaxing into their passive stance. The colors of the world shifted to the same muted grays and blues. Link's heart throbbed with fear and adrenaline, his breath short and eyes wild. Slowly he picked himself up from the ground, feeling the sand slide from his clothes. A few paces to his left hovered a different shape, unlike the tears of light but with the same glowing aura. He jogged over to it and brushed it with a finger. Across the landscape beacons leaped into the air.

Past one of the waiting Guardians was one of the beacons and he ran past, acutely aware of the seconds slowly ticking away. The dune abruptly dropped off to a sheer cliff face and Link turned to climb down, hands gripping the rock. The cliff wasn't a tall one, but the descent seemed to take years as Link worked his way down the rock face. He nearly fell about a half-dozen times, but the tear at the bottom was reward enough. Frantically he climbed back up the cliff and continued his search.

The beacons had vanished by the time Link reached the top of the cliff, but he happened upon a tear half-hidden behind a patch of boulders. The landscape looked oddly familiar as he reached the top of the boulders to survey for more tears. The forms of Guardians stood like pillars across the rolling waves of sand, the only movement the shift of the ghostly light and the bobbing bodies of the Watchers as they patrolled.

"Recognize it?" Armageddon's voice boomed in the quiet and Link groaned with frustration.

"Can you respect that fact that it's called a _silent_ realm? Leave me alone!"

"Harsh, for Nayru's sake! Um, sorry, Nayru. Just trying to be helpful here."

Sliding down from the top of a boulder, Link continued his journey down the slope of a particularly daunting dune. "It would help if you would tell me where all the tears are. Or, you know, just give them all to me."

"What would be the fun in that? I was just about to tell you that this is the Sandsea Desert."

As soon as Armageddon mentioned it Link wondered how he hadn't noticed. The landscape was familiar because he had wandered it for so long with Zelda. The only changes were the fact that the desert was transformed into an alien, blue-glowing trial for Heroes of Time... And that he was alone this time.

Taking a step forward, Link leaned over a dune to peer down in the sandy valley, searching for more tears of light. Immediately the sole of his boot splashed into a pool of liquid and his heart electrified with panic. The sky flashed from mellow blue to violent red and the heads of the nearest Guardians snapped upright with an audible _click._

"I'd watch your step if I were you..." Armageddon warned.

"You tell me _now?_ " Link yelped, then took off running with two Guardians in hot pursuit, swords held aloft.

 **This week's donations go to the psychiatric rehabilitation of past Heroes who had to face the horrors of the silent realm. Respect, man. Respect.**

 **HEY thank you all so much for 100 reviews! Respect, man. Respect. *tips hat***

 **I guess that's all for now? Until next time!**


	37. Wraith

**It's Friday, hallelujah! There's really not much else to say here...**

 ***awkward pause* Read on!**

Link's heart beat so furiously it was a wonder it didn't fall out of his chest.

His boots pounded into the sand, slipping and sliding down the slope of the dune and into a pool of knee-deep waking water. He glanced up quickly, hoping to confuse the Guardians chasing after him, but they bounded down the dune with inhuman speed and sureness, crashing into the water next to him.

Link cried out and fell backwards into the water as the Guardian's mace lodged in the damp sand, mere inches from his leg. Twisting around, he scrambled out of the pool and clawed his way up the opposite dune, hands scrabbling in the loose sand in a desperate struggle to get away. The footsteps of the Guardians pursued him up the slope, and once the sand was split by a razor-sharp sword.

When he reached the crest of the dune Link spied a glowing tear of light to his left. The tear's luminescence was tinted an angry red from the sky and the warbling colors of the sand, the color of blood and malice. The only problem was another Guardian stood before the tear, and he was closing in on Link quickly.

Instinct took over and Link sprinted directly towards the oncoming Guardian, the two Guardians behind him having finally reached the top of the dune. The tall, angular figure before him wielded a knobbled mace that was as long as Link was tall, fringed in gold and held with expert care. In one deft movement the Guardian cocked its arm back, preparing for a swing that would knock Link's teeth out and make him taste his socks.

Carefully watching the Guardian's arm, Link slammed a foot forward to stop his frantic speed and dove forward as the creature swung, the mace slashing over Link's head in a ruthless swing. Rolling in the sand, Link came to his feet and reached for the tear, feeling the cool substance dissolve at his touch.

Again the brilliant red dissolved to the muted, glowing blue of the spirit-desert. The Guardians' movements became static, then froze altogether as they pulled their weapons into a resting position. The glowing red of their eyes were extinguished like hot coals, tense position relaxing to an easy, yet still intimidating, stance.

Link's heart throbbed painfully and his lungs felt like they were coated in sandpaper. He collapsed to the sand with a short breath, chest heaving as he attempted to catch his breath. Again the seconds of the clock boomed in his head, unforgiving and merciless.

Every breath seemed to come shorter and shorter as Link attempted to regain his composure. Black edges crawled at his vision and sweat broke out on his brow. Shaking slightly, he rolled onto his side and gasped for breath.

 _No. You_ cannot _pass out in the silent realm._

Armageddon's arrogant voice echoed in the silence of the newly established calm. "I hate to be a downer here, but you should probably get a move on."

Slowly Link crawled to his hands and knees, feeling like a belt was tightening around his chest. "Just – just give me a second, okay."

"No, you might want to _move now!"_ Armageddon shouted, just as Link's body was bathed in the brilliance of a spotlight.

The Guardians leaped to life all too quickly, weapons drawn and ready in the time Link had to blink. Before he could even scramble away the mace-wielding Guardian had drawn back its weapon and swung, hitting Link squarely on the jaw.

The pain was incredible, like someone was cleaving his head in two with an ax. Immediately Link knew his jaw had been shattered, but the sensation didn't last a second before his spirit form shattered into a thousand fractals, plunging him into blackness.

He was miraculously re-formed in the protection circle, the world again muted blues and the tranquil calm that kept the Guardians frozen. Link quickly got to his feet, feeling his face where the Guardian had clobbered him. There was no pain, no bruise, no sign whatsoever that he had been attacked.

No sign that he had failed the trial.

"Ah, so it's take two. Don't worry, all Heroes have a practice round or two. You should have seen the first one, running around in circles like a crazy person. Are you okay?"

Link wasn't okay – he was _angry._ Angry at himself for freezing, angry at Armageddon and his stupid comments. Mostly he despised himself. _Should have moved. Should have kept going. Should have watched out._

As always his mind wandered back to Zelda. She was stuck up in the Castle Skyscraper somewhere, possibly being tortured by Gangstadorf, praying for release from the scumbag while Link panicked in the silent realm and failed his trial.

The thought of Zelda in pain at Gangstadorf's hand, compounded with his own inadequacy, made him sick.

"Fine." He spat back at Armageddon, rolling to the balls of his feet. Link's eyes narrowed as he observed the scene. A single tear of light stood before him, and only twenty yards away stood a waiting Guardian. It held a mace identical to the one that had forced Link to fail the trial, and he felt a new contempt for the Guardians. "There's no way to kill these things, is there?"

"Sorry, shorty. Tough luck being without your sword and all, but the goddesses insisted."

"Don't call me shorty."

"Touchy, huh? But from my vantage point, you know, you –"

Link rolled his eyes and grinned, feeling some of the tension unknot from his shoulders. "You don't have to justify your insults. It takes away from the sting of a good burn."

Armageddon mulled this over for a second. "Huh. Learn something new every day. Well, you ready to go, captain?"

Again Link felt the sting of memory on his mind again. Zelda's jibe, _Captain Link._ "You betcha, ambiguous spirit of the hellish silent realm. Let's do this."

"I think I prefer Armageddon. Seriously, I'm going to ask the goddesses about a rebrand. New name, new logo..."

"You have a logo?"

"Nevermind that I have a logo! Don't you have a silent realm to complete?"

"Right." Link focused on the tear, readying himself in a running position. "Wait, do I get a logo?"

"For Din's sake, just get on with it! Apologies, Din. Yes, it won't happen again. I mean, no. I mean, yes. I mean..."

Before the sentence was finished Link leaped through the protective circle and into the silent realm. This time he was prepared for the flashing, burning red and the awakening of the Guardians, pumping his arms and legs furiously and reaching the tear of light in record time. The Guardian closest to him relaxed and continued its silent sentinel watch, eyes deadened but still eerily intelligent.

Link quickly collected the other tear at the bottom of the cliff and the tear where he had been 'slain' during the last trial, keeping a keen eye out for waking water. The stuff seemed to work its way into the most inconvenient places, hiding in the shadows of boulders and other areas that he would have easily looked over if he weren't being extra vigilant.

He wandered across the other strange shape, the not-tear that formed beacons.

"Light fruit." Armageddon supplied, voice all too loud in the quiet. Link kicked the glowing fruit swiftly and shimmering beacons shot into the sky like arrows trailing blue light. He quickly counted the beacons – only seven tears remained.

The nearest beacon was shielded behind the crumbling wall of a structure as old as a toothless sailor or the bread from Castle Town's soup kitchen, maybe both combined. He hadn't recalled the wall from he and Zelda's escapades in the Sandsea, but the old, misshapen stones made good footholds and he quickly worked his way over the wall and into the building.

The structure was dilapidated, but had held up remarkably well through time. Link ducked under a collapsed support beam and quickly brushed a finger against a glowing tear that illuminated the room in blue light. Tendrils of the tear snaked its way up his arm and out of sight, casting the small building back into shadow. Not wanting to linger longer than need be, Link turned back to the wall and climbed out of the building, balancing on the rickety roof. The beacons were beginning to fade as the light fruit's effect wore off, but he turned to see a cluster of two more glowing lights a short distance from the building.

Quickly Link took off across a stretch of sand, dodging the glowing lamplight of a hovering Watcher. Another Watcher patrolled back and forth across the sand directly before him, and he crouched on the ground, biding his time as it bobbed to his far left. Once it had reached a safe distance away from him Link darted forward, clearing the spotlight easily. He had only taken another step forward when the sand gave way under his feet and he plunged down into the dune.

Link collapsed into the shallow hole, landing on the slatted floorboards of another house. The room was pitch-black, without a tear in sight, so he stood and tested his weight on both feet. Neither leg seemed injured, thankfully, so he clambered out of the newly formed hole in the roof and back into the silent realm.

The beacons were so faint they were almost invisible, but Link found the two tears by kicking in the rickety tin roofs of the houses. The discovery of the sand-drenched village would have fascinated Zelda, but for now he had plans far more important than examining runes and building structure. Another light fruit sat behind the frozen body of a Guardian. Link gave the creature a swift kick as he passed out of sheer spite, the action giving him a flicker of pleasure.

"Don't kick the Guardians! It gives them all the more reason to hit you harder." Armageddon protested as he started up another slope in pursuit of a nearby tear.

"They hit me pretty hard already." Link flexed his jaw, the Guardian's blow already a distant memory in his search for the tears of light.

The next tear was slightly more difficult to obtain, requiring Link to stack a pile of old boxes in just the right position to allow him to scale a steep cliff face up to the top of the dune. The box-stacking took longer than he wished, and he could tell time was running out by the time he finally reached the tear.

The next two tears hovered over two pinnacles of rock, as tall as a three-story building from Castle Town. Link immediately realized that he wasn't going to reach them by climbing; the surface of the rock was too sheer and there were too few footholds that would allow him to reach the top. The two pillars stood in the center of a small boulder field, with rocks only as tall as Link's chest ringing the mammoth columns. Link observed the scene for a moment before finding a rock close to one of the two pillars.

He stood in front of one of the pillars so that the other spire was obscured by the first. Having aligned the rocks, he turned and climbed to knee-level on a nearby boulder, leaning back until his shoulders rested on the rock of one of the spires. Link then pushed with his legs, forcing the boulder away from the spire and applying pressure to the base of the spire.

A deep rumbling alerted him that his plan had succeed – the first spire cracked and toppled into the second, collapsing to the boulder field in a plume of rock dust and sand. Shielding his eyes, Link peered through the swirl of dust and grit to see the two tears safely on the ground. As he collected them Armageddon's indignant voice thundered in the sky.

"You broke them!"

"So?"

" _So?_ Guess who's going to have to explain to the goddesses that one of the Heroes _broke_ their silent realms! Din's got a nasty temper already – a thousand apologies, O Holy One. Yes, it won't happen again. See, now you've gotten me in trouble with Din herself!"

"You can talk to Din?" Link wondered aloud, breaking into a jog as he pursued another one of the beacons of light.

"It's not like the golden goddesses sit around in the sacred realm and practice their needlepoint all day. They have to do something, and right now that includes watching you."

 _Great. I made a fool of myself in front of the golden goddesses themselves!_ "I don't think this day could get any worse. Wait, there's a sacred realm too?"

"Calm down, I was just joking. Din's busy competing in some race in Skyloft right now. Did your parents never teach you how to recognize a joke?"

Link's smile twisted into a scowl and he quickened his pace to a run. The tear was barely concealed behind a stubborn, gnarled shrub with limp leaves. A light fruit sat on top of a boulder and Link quickly snatched it up, revealing the location of the last beacon.

"Well, that was fast." He noted, following the shaft of light with his eyes. The last tear rested on one of the tallest dunes in the desert, peppered with sharp rocks like daggers. It looked very formidable, but he had come too far to face any second doubts.

It became apparent to Link that the dune was going to be very difficult to traverse. Guardians practically surrounded the area, and the slope of the hill was dotted with the dangling searchlights of the Watchers. Cautiously Link picked his way around the Guardians, not even stopping to deliver another kick. How long had it been since he collected the last tear? If the Guardians and Watchers awoke on this hill he would have hell to face collecting the tear.

Just as he was about to step over a boulder he froze, the sole of his boot an inch away from a puddle of waking water. Cursing the goddesses and their tricks – nevermind if they could hear – Link jumped over the reddish liquid and continued his journey up the hill.

The Watchers circled the hill in predictable patterns, but they were so close to each other Link could barely slip between their lines and continue up the slope to the tear. Already the beacon was fading, signaling the time he had lost. Ducking behind a large outcropping of rock, Link waited as a searchlight drifted over his head and the Watcher continued on its way. He picked his way up the hill, stopping frequently as the floating creatures hurried past.

Waking water trailed down the dune in slow-moving streams, red tint giving the impression of lava as it meandered past Link's boots and further down the slope of sand. The dune's defenses seemed to only increase the further Link climbed, which didn't bode well for his obtaining the last tear of light.

When he finally reached the top of the dune, coated in sand and short of breath, he noticed it was relatively unguarded. One solemn Guardian watched from behind a large boulder. It held twin swords that could probably divide paper in half by its edge, and its terrifyingly blank expression leered down at Link as he passed. Not wanting to linger longer than he needed to, Link took the tear and glanced up at the sky, waiting for Armageddon to supply more information about the end of the trial. Or his useless comments. Either would do.

"Armageddon? Talk to me, buddy. What happens now?"

"Oh, right. Well, just make your way back to the protection circle. And watch out for the waking water! It can still summon the guardians, even though you have all of the tears. Other than that we're in the clear." Armageddon seemed audibly relieved.

It took a fraction of the time ascending the dune to climb down, and Link quickly jogged in the direction of the start of the trial. The looming figures of the Guardians seemed almost disappointed as he approached his one-way ticket back to Hyrule.

"That wasn't so bad. Beam me up, Armageddon." He noted, and Armageddon scoffed in response.

"Trust me – they get so, so much worse."

On that encouraging note Link's body dissipated into pinpoints of light, then rocketed through the sky of the silent realm and back to civilization.

 **hello my friends**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Buy-One-Get-One-Free Sword Spirit Auction! Ever wished your kitchen knife could talk? So do we! Never slice an apple on your lonesome again with our versatile sword spirits! Their individual, spunky personalities will fill your days with endless wonder! If you want to know more about our auction read our ad in** ** _Hylian_** **or the next chapter of TTC, which will come out soon :)**

 **I guess that's all? I had this really great joke I wanted to tell you guys but I forgot it... Maybe the next chapter. Until then, then!**


	38. Journey On

**Sorry about not posting yesterday, I was kind of occupied with bowling and laser tag. Our team won, so I guess it was worth it :)**

 **Speaking of laser tag, how about some fanfiction? Read on!**

 **(I'm kidding. Laser tag has nothing to do with fanfiction.)**

He re-materialized on the same sandbar where the trial had begun, the Master Sword still fixed in the swirling bottom of the sea floor. Link released a shallow breath of relief – he could thank Kindel for that – then leaned his head back. The surface of the ocean rippled above him, mottled with rays of sunlight and shifting waves. Not wanting to linger near the hellhole of a silent realm any longer, Link kicked his boots against the sand and paddled to the surface, drawing his hands back and forth through the water for propulsion. Finally his head broke the water and he scanned the beach for any sign of Kindel, panting for breath and triumphant.

"You're still alive!" A tinny voice sounded from the shore, and Link picked out Kindel's diminutive frame in the waves of sand.

"Funny, I hadn't noticed!" Link hollered back over the break and ebb of the waves.

"Too bad the silent realms couldn't purge you of a smart mouth. Come back here and tell me about it!"

Link emerged from the waves soaking wet, sand caking every inch of his clothing. As he shook the water from his boots Kindel took the opportunity to fill the silence with a multitude of complaints.

"Do you know how long it took to keep up a sustained supply of air? It's thanks to you I'm alive, but do I get a thank-you? _No._ Anyways, while you were swimming with the fishies I was busy making sure you could breathe, scared out of my mind that I had messed up my spell and you were floating down there dead. But hey, what are Koroks for, right? What messed up your face, by the way?"

Link's hand flew to his jaw, where a large blueish-purple bruise was forming. "A mace, that's what."

"For real?" Kindel leaped to his feet, examining Link with new interest. "Did you trip and land on a mace or something? Or was it one of those things the ninja granny chick at the library was talking about? You know, the difficulty of the trials... I wasn't really listening."

Link held up a hand to slow Kindel's never-ceasing chatter. "Ninja granny chick?"

In one motion Kindel shrugged. "You know what I mean. Anyways, what really happened in there?"

Link gave him an abbreviated version of the silent realm trials, including Armageddon and the failed trial. Kindel laughed for a solid thirty seconds, slapping his hand on his knee and dramatically wiping away a tear.

"Of course _you_ would be the one to fail the silent realm... Yep, this'll be a story for the ages. The mighty Hero, armed with a flower necklace and good vibes. Hey, maybe Gangstadorf will sympathize. Convert him to your hippie ways, right?"

"Necklace?"

"You didn't notice?" Kindel pointed to a dangling bulb hanging from Link's neck. "It came up with ou from the silent realm. They give out goodie bags?"

"Something like that..." Link pulled the chain from his neck and observed the flower bulb carefully. He touched the pointed end of the strange object and petals burst from the bulb, stretching to the sunlight in one reflexive action. In the center of the petals sat a flat blue disc, punctured at the top. The necklace threaded through the hole.

"What is it?" Link asked, holding up the disc to the light. The vibrant blues leaped to the sunlight, angling off of the disc and dappling the nearby sand dunes.

"I've seen one of those before. It's a scale! They're taken from dragons and have all kinds of magic infused in them. Don't give me that look, I _read._ Dragon sightings used to be common occurrences before Gangstadorf captured them all and sold them to a glue factory. This one must be from a water dragon."

Link shook the chain lightly, hoping to elicit a response from the scale. "So? Does it do anything?"

Shrugging, Kindel turned back to the sea. "I think I might be able to find out."

Moment later Link was knee-deep in the surf, waves ringing his legs and pulling him slowly deeper into the water. "This is the worst plan I've ever heard."

"It's not like I'm waterboarding you or anything. And believe me, I considered it."

"Good to know." Link replied gruffly.

"Go ahead. Duck your head under."

"Is this some form of Korok hazing or something?"

"Just do it!"

Rolling his eyes, Link obliged and walked deeper into the water, clenching the scale in one hand. As soon as the ocean surf covered his head he took a shallow breath, preparing for the taste of salt water, but it never came.

Instead of water oxygen flowed into his lungs. Eyes widening with shock, Link observed his surroundings carefully. He was still fully submerged, but he could breathe...

The scale in his hand grew slightly warmer, rays of blue light leaking from between his fingers. _Magical powers, no kidding!_

Kicking his way to the surface, Link gave Kindel a thumbs-up. When he reached the shore the Korok tugged on his pant leg.

"See? Dry. Pretty sweet, huh?"

"I guess so." Link slipped the scale around his neck, hiding it underneath his shirt.

"It's shame the necklace didn't stay a flower. I could have called you a pansy."

Kindel snickered and Link fixed him with a death glare. "That's easily the worst joke I've ever heard."

"Oh, come on. You think yours are any better?"

"I rescind my previous statement."

"'Course you do."

They rode Epona in silence for a while, and Link realized he had been driving for an hour without any course in mind.

"Kindel, where exactly are we going?" He asked, sending Epona into a sputtering halt. The Korok wiggled its way around him and onto the handlebars, brow lowering in concentration.

"That's a good question... A very good question indeed."

"You make me blush. Really, where are we going?"

Kindel looked up at him with a smirk of disdain. "You honestly have no idea?"

Gritting his teeth to hold back a handful of choice words, Link shook his head. "Find the next silent realm, wherever the hell that is. Didn't Orielle say I would inherently know where it is?"

"Are your compass-senses tingling?"

"Stow it, old man. Anyways, I have no idea what she meant. Zelda never mentioned anything about the silent realms besides their contents, not their locations. We're fumbling around in the dark here."

The Korok scrambled to the top of the handlebars and started to pace like a wire-walker. "Not necessarily. Think back to anything she might have said. Clues from the librarian, any indications at all? Do you remember that scroll of hers? I wasn't able to pick anything out by the time she had put it away."

Link's head snapped up and he grabbed Kindel's tiny shoulders, shaking him roughly. "Clock Town!"

"Clock what now? I know you're the Hero of _Time,_ but –"

"Back in Kasuto, the first time I went there, I met this streetkid who kind of attacked Zelda and I. Long story short, she gave us a tip about the Resistance being in Clock Town. How we should seek them out. Refuge, shelter, information..."

"Hot water, food..." Kindel added. "As your resident super-spy I can tell you that the Resistance is real. Stop gawking, I'm being serious. And they're not as petty as Gangstadorf makes them sound on the news. Ammunition, supporters, sleeper cells in old Ganon's higher-up positions. If you're wanting help in your quest, I think Clock Town is our best bet. Besides, don't you want to see nuclear missiles and flying jets?"

"Yeah, I'd love to get up close and personal with a nuclear missile. Who wouldn't?"

"The Resistance is the real deal, I'm telling you. They like to lie low, keep a low profile out of Gangstadorf's watch. Just wait until you see their base."

Link picked Kindel up by his head and placed him on the motorcycle seat. "Are you telling me that Kindel, elderly Korok and spy extraordinaire, went to the secret base of the Resistance? Somehow I find that very hard to believe."

Kindel huffed shortly, and Link could feel the Korok's glare burning into his back. "Why doesn't anyone believe me when I tell them I'm an agent?"

"I wonder..."

The ride to Clock Town was disturbed by an enormous thunderstorm. Clouds piled above Link's head, darkening like bruises and shadowing the evening sky. Every so often bolts of lightning would lance through the clouds, thunderclaps shaking the ground beneath Epona's wheels. Kindel was none too pleased with this development, constantly complaining about how the water was going to make him rot.

"Can't we please get out of this storm?" The Korok barked, clinging to Link's shirt tightly and hollering into his ear to be heard above the pounding rain and thunder.

"I told you, we have to keep going! We don't have enough supplies to loiter around. Look, there's some lights ahead. If you'll shut your mouth I'll stop and get you a candy bar or something, okay?"

Kindel growled and muttered incoherently, still frustrated.

Twin shafts of light pierced the curtains of rain dumping down from the sky, and Link slowed to a halt as they approached. Epona's tires squelched in the slippery mud, and Link's boots and lower legs were caked in crusty dirt. _As if Kindel has any reason to complain... With any luck maybe he_ will _rot._

"Halt! Stay where you are! Do not try to flee the vehicle or you will be subject to prosecution!"

Link's heart leaped in his chest and he turned to Kindel, who ducked underneath Link's jacket to hide. Resisting the urge to toss Kindel at the oncoming headlights and run, Link turned off Epona's engine and waited for the owner of the voice to appear.

Soon a large, boxy motorcycle complete with sidecar sputtered to a halt next to Epona. Two men sat crowded into the small seats, both wearing identical scowls. If Link could guess he would say they were cops slightly gone to seed, with flabby jowls like a bulldog and portly bellies. The man in the sidecar stood and walked over to Epona with an authoritative stride, pulling out a pad of paper in a flamboyantly official manner.

"What's yer name, son?" The man asked, peering at Link through thick riding goggles. The eyes behind the glass were small and piggish, with a wicked glint to them that made Link's stomach turn.

"Varden, sir. I mean to trouble at all." Kindel kicked Link swiftly from beneath his shirt. _Of course a criminal would say that!_

"Where ya headed?" Scratching a few notes onto the paper, the man peered at Link with a thinly veiled sneer.

"Clock Town. I'm visiting my grandmother – such a lovely lady, really, but –"

"Spare me. Now, I've got ta ask ya, you wouldn't be goin' into town with some illicit dealings, now would ya?" Between the thick accent and the pouring rain Link could hardly make out what the man was saying – or rather, implying.

"I beg your pardon, sir?"

"Consider yerself pardoned, Varden. Anywho, we can't have lowlife lackeys banding together, thinkin' they can somehow beat good ol' Gangstadorf. Ain't that right, Hyrum?"

"Darn thumpin' right." The second cop replied.

Link crossed his arms, shifting in his seat to hide the noticeable bulge of Kindel behind his back. "I still don't understand what you mean."

"I mean – ain't this clear, Hyrum? I mean, some foolhardy folk, callin' themselves the Resistance, are banding together in Clock Town. I radioed Castle Town, told 'em to get more troops down here, some of them goddesses-forsaken Bokoblins or something summat similar, but they're not comin' until much later." Kindel kicked Link sharply again, and he couldn't be more obvious if the Korok had been screaming the word, 'Clue!'

"What I mean, young man, is that I don't want anyone cheatin' the system. You getting my drift here?" The cop leaned forward, his teeth flashing in the headlights.

"I think your mother cheated, sir, and that's why you look like a plumber." Link retorted, watching coolly as the man's reddened face flushed to eggplant purple with rage.

"You little sh–" Before the man could finish his sentence Link leaped forward and swung his fist into the cop's flabby jaw, throwing the man down into the mud. A crack of lighting arched above Link's head and he pointed a finger at the fallen man, using the sudden lighting for dramatic effect.

"You listen here, you kiss-up. You tell Gangstadorf that if I'm merciful I'll let him lick the soles of my boots. Your little patrol had better not come around here again or I'll make sure you know what I do to people who push others around, okay?"

The man picked himself up from the mud slowly, wincing and wiping the dirt out of his eyes. "Did you just threaten me? I'll bury you, insolent arse. I don't know who you think you are..."

The roar of Epona's engine drowned out the man's words as Link threw the motorcycle into drive and tore away from the two cops, chest throbbing with anger. Kindel worked his way out of Link's shirt and peered behind them into the darkness, leaving the two men in the dust as they sped across Hyrule Field.

"They're not pursuing, I think we're in the clear. What a load of Goron dung, huh?" Kindel grumbled. "Although thanks to your choice remarks they've probably put out an APB for you, and now Gangstadorf knows where we're going."

"Are you kidding? We're untouchable." Link joked, pushing Epona faster as they rode.

"You wish. How hard do you think it will be to track a young upstart kid who rides a motorcycle in the middle of Hyrule Field? _And_ you told him our destination."

Link was sorely tempted to stomp on the brakes and send Kindel flying into the mud. Conversations with the Korok always balanced a fine line between amicable joking and needless insults. "Maybe you could have chipped into the conversation a little bit if you weren't cowering under my shirt the whole time."

The storm only worsened as they rode, drops of rain stinging Link's face and turning Hyrule Field into a mudslide. Once he and Kindel zipped through a tent city, shelters hastily pitched by the poor who couldn't afford rent or were thrown from the city. The sight of the shantytown shocked Kindel into silence, providing a welcome respite from his stinging remarks.

Finally Link broke the silence, shouting over the wind to be heard. "Any plans for when we get into Clock Town? It's not like we can mosey in and ask, 'Hey, where's the Resistance?'"

Kindel remained stubbornly silent as a faint glow formed on the horizon, the faint sounds of car horns and the rumbling of city life creeping into the clamor of the storm. Link turned to make sure the Korok hadn't fallen off of the motorcycle and saw Kindel's dark shape pressed against his back, snoring softly.

 _Let him sleep,_ Link thought as Epona charged through a slick spot of mud, _It's been a long trip._

A ring of squatter surrounded the city, which Link noticed as soon as the tents started popping up again. Inquisitive eyes peered at him from slashes in the canvas, the city eerily frozen from the storm. A few men walked throughout the camp, hair plastered to their heads. Link directed his eyes back to the road and pushed Epona faster, ready for a meal and hot shower somewhere in Clock Town. The eyes of the poor trailed after him like lasers.

As he drove Link wondered how Gangstadorf could ignore the fact that his people were living like this. Even the Resistance didn't come to their aid. The idea made him wonder if the Resistance was really all that it seemed. Who could watch people live like this and still feel good about themselves and their missions?

As Clock Town loomed over his head Link wondered what other secrets it might hold.

 **But what if laser tag had something to do with fanfiction? Laser tag fanfics? Fanfics about laser tag?**

 **Today's donations go the poor underclass who are forced to live outside of the city. Even one rupee goes a long way for these poor souls. (Paid for by the Resistance Against Homelessness and Oppression Act)**

 **Hope you're all having a great day! If not, I bequeath upon you a good day. Do with it what you will!**

 **Until next time!**


	39. The Confrontation

**This will be the first week I update Remnants without updating FP and it's _so weird!_ I've been updating ToTM and FP for probably around 1/2 years now. Kind of a big deal, yeah?**

 **According to a fortune cookie I opened the other day something significant is going to happen to me today. Interpret that as you will :)**

 **Read on!**

The first thing Link noticed were the Bokoblins.

Packs of the ugly brutes loitered on every corner, glaring at the passersby with looks so vicious they made Link's stomach turn. He noticed their elaborate bangles and tattoos, clear signs of Gangstadorf's hired gangs. Each shouldered crude weapons, a few clenching knobbled clubs studded with nails in their meaty fists. The ones with real weapons, those with bows or swords strapped to their backs, looked over the crowd with an air of superiority. The tension was so thick Link thought he could cut it with a knife.

Peering out from one of the storefronts was an all-too-familiar sight – one of Gangstadorf's election posters, watching the crowd with as much menace as the Bokoblins were. Biting back a curse, Link swung Epona around and started to drive down a smaller street, turning his face away from where he had spotted the Gerudo's crooked smile.

"What is it?" Kindel jolted awake as Epona rumbled over a patch of cobblestones, scattering a pack of blue beetles. The insects clicked their staglike jaws at Link and Kindel as they passed.

"We're in Clock Town, and Bokoblins aren't the only thing we'll have to worry about." Link intoned, keeping his voice below the rumble of traffic and city buzz.

Kindel spat out what Link assumed to be a Korok vulgarity. "I forgot about those things! We'll have to get you a disguise. I'm thinking handlebar mustache, maybe a bowler hat? And a checkered suit! Those things are epic."

Link swerved around a group of Pikku, whose lips curled on their foxlike snouts to reveal sharp teeth filed to points. "People around here aren't very friendly are they?" He asked to himself.

"So that's a yes for the checkered suit?"

"Kindel, I don't think we have enough money for a single checker."

They scanned the streets for some sort of clothing store, and the irregularities of Clock Town became more and more evident as Link watched. He stopped focusing on the large details of the street – blown-up posters, Bokoblin guards, crowds of anonymous people bustling back and forth – instead looking at small pieces of a seemingly larger puzzle.

Down a zigzagging alley two Zora stood, heads bent low. Their eyes glanced furtively around at every sound, and when they saw Link looking they both scrambled into the shadows and vanished.

Graffiti decorated walls in wide strokes, slanting letters dripping like so many shades of blood. The messages were brash and brazen, qualities Link admired.

 _We don't live, we survive._

 _The phantoms never rest, the shadows never rise._

 _You put the fangs in our mouth. Expect us to_ bite.

With a closer inspection Link realized that the citizens weren't like the meek crowds of Castle Town, struggling to get by and filling their lives with nothing of purpose. He caught sight of a pair of young, gleaming eyes, a head raised above the subdued masses.

"I see what they meant about the Resistance." Kindel muttered into Link's ear as they drove through the winding alleys of Clock Town. "It's like they've set out the gasoline, and we're the fire."

"How oddly poetic of you."

"Thanks, I try." Grumbling, Kindel slid back down to his seat.

Finally they reached a small thrift shop where Link bought a simple gray hoodie that would conceal his face from any prying eyes. The shopkeeper, a young woman with average features, stared openly at the Master Sword slung over Link's shoulder. Kindel noticed her gawking as well and convinced Link to buy a simple cloth to wrap around the sword's elaborate sheath. They exited the store looking perfectly normal and unassuming, a look that reminded Link of Castle Town in a bittersweet sort of way.

"So what's our plan?" Kindel whispered as Link drove Epona towards the center of the city. A cluster of Bokoblins had gathered on one side of the street, whiskered snouts waggling as they growled in their strange language. One caught Link's eye and shook its club menacingly, and Link moved away from the curb closest to it. The weapon looked like it had been ripped straight from a tree, branches and all. No way did he want a twig embedded in his brain matter.

"That's a good question. Maybe we should set the Master Sword out as bait. Rebels would come flocking." Link replied, tugging the hood of his sweatshirt as another one of Gangstadorf's computer-generated faces beamed down at him from a nearby wall.

"I knew you were one for stupid and pointless plans, but that is just the worst."

Narrow streets and crowded walkways gave way to an enormous city center, a roundabout road ringing a small park decorated with aggressively modern concrete sculptures. The slate-gray stone matched the dull tone of the clouds hovering like a slab over the city, the storm still lingering and charging the air with anticipation.

Stalls and canopied cafés surrounded the street, where peddlers bargained their cheap goods and tired-looking Hylians sipped coffee as gray and cold as the sky, simply watching the world go by. The Bokoblin gangs were seated at rival restaurants, scaring away the customers with their brutish weapons visible on the tables and their off-putting demeanor. The sight would be almost comical if Link didn't know they would tear his throat out without a second glance.

He drove Epona to the middle of the small park, locking the motorcycle to a rotting bench and watching as the crowds scurried here and there, necks bent and staring at their shoes. Directly in front of Link stood a towering effigy of Gangstadorf, one hand outstretched in a horribly marred gesture of friendship. Most of the statue's hand had been broken off until it looked like the Gerudo was giving the whole town a massive middle finger. _How a_ _ccurate._

Link was satisfied to simply watch the bustle of the city, but Kindel had other plans. The Korok paced back and forth in front of the park bench, waving his little hands in violent gestures as he ranted to Link about their position. Link feigned interest as Kindel rambled on.

"Why did we even come here? It's not like we can just ask, 'Oh, pardon me, I was wondering where you keep your secret rebel groups? Yes, the ones whose intestines will be sewn into tablecloths if Ganon ever finds out about them. Take a right at the statue of the Bokoblin gangs willing to mug and murder us? Why, thanks a whole bunch!' Whose half-baked plan was this? I bet it was yours, wasn't it?"

Ordinarily Link would have retaliated, but he noticed strange motion down on the street. The hill gave him a perfect view of the circular way below, and his eyes caught the hulking figures of Gorons, at least a dozen of them. The rocky creatures loitered near a dingy restaurant, crossing their arms and grunting at whatever passed their way. What alarmed Link the most was that each of them was armed with a sturdy-looking sword or weapon of similar deadliness. One even pulled out a pair of brass knuckles and fitted them onto his fingers.

"What's the point of Gorons having brass knuckles? Aren't they already made of a substance hard enough to shatter bone?" Link wondered aloud, and Kindel gave him a scathing glare.

"Are you listening to me? We have no leads, no money, no information on the next silent realm – which, by the way, we are assuming the rebels have _without_ any indication that they _do..._ What did that librarian say? Is your spirit tingling, O Mighty Hero?"

Link's attention wandered from Kindel's tirade again and fell on the street. This time he turned his head to the left and caught sight of another group that made his blood run cold.

A gathering of Zora was clustered on the other side of the road, flashes of blue behind the tinted car windows and muted colors of the city that tore past them at breakneck speed. Their attitudes were visibly hostile, even from the distance where Link was observing them, and they too were armed and seemingly ready for battle. Worry turned Link's stomach and he directed his gaze to the rooftops, where a flash of blue caught his attention. A Zora archer sat crouched on the top of a hotel, a full quiver strapped to his back. A glance to Link's right confirmed that the Gorons were equally equipped with their own snipers.

"We need to get out of here." Link whispered, latching a hand on Kindel's arm. The Korok glowered at him, apparently not finished letting off steam, but when Link directed his gaze to the streets and the skyline Kindel's pent-up rage deflated.

"What's going on?" He insisted as Link leaped from the bench and started to the right, keeping his head down as his heart hammered in his throat. It was a scene in Castle Town he was all too familiar with, and was keen to avoid at all costs.

"Come on, Kindel, Gorons and Zora? Have you been living in a secluded village of Koroks for the last hundred years?"

"As a matter of fact, I have." Kindel huffed, darting forward to keep up with Link's brisk pace. "And I'm not blind, either. Why are you so worried? They'll just get into a brawl in the street and it'll be over with."

As discreetly as he could Link nodded his head in the direction of the snipers. "Archers on the rooftops? This isn't a petty scuffle, Kindel, this is a turf war. And I don't know what Gorons or Zora think of Koroks, but they sure as hell don't mind Hylians as their collateral damage."

Kindel blanched and increased his pace, following Link's example of keeping a low profile. Thankfully the Master Sword was still concealed in its cloth – he was sure either the Gorons or the Zora would kill, literally, for a weapon with its power.

A group of five Gorons started to ascend the hill on the same walkway Link and Kindel were speed-walking down, eyes beady and eager for a fight. Link kept his gaze fixed on his boots, wondering if the Gorons could hear his hammering heart, but they passed by without giving him a second glance. Kindel released a slow breath of relief once the Gorons were out of earshot, but Link knew the danger was far from over.

"They'll have scouts and other Gorons further in the city. We have to move fast to get out of their territory." He intoned, keeping his voice low under the sounds of nearby traffic. They reached the circular drive around the park and stopped for a moment, taking in their surroundings.

The Gorons and Zora were slowly edging in on each other, flexing their fists and staring daggers at each other. The smart fled the area quickly, while the stupid held back to watch the imminent fight. Link tugged Kindel to the middle of the quickly-shrinking neutral zone between the two forces, dodging cars as they crossed the busy street and throwing themselves into the anonymity of the crowd.

"All this over what, huh? Makes you wonder. 'No, Mummy Hylia likes _me_ better!' 'We're obviously the supreme race!'" Kindel snickered, and Link restrained the urge to elbow the Korok in the temple. He didn't want Kindel to lose his few remaining brain cells in the collision.

"Just stay down and shut up." He growled, shouldering his way past a woman struggling with huge shopping bags – and wound up directly in front of the pack of Gorons.

Link paled and started to turn away, praying that the Gorons hadn't noticed him, but their attention was focused on a Hylian sprawled on the ground before them, hands held up in a universal for-Din's-sake-don't-kill-me gesture and sporting a brilliant black eye.

"I didn't mean anything, I swear, I'm just trying to get home..."

"We saw him conversing with the Zora, high-ranking. He's trying to snitch on our location." One of the Gorons rumbled, his voice deep and gravely. The man below him waved his hands desperately. The voice seemed oddly familiar...

"I'm not a spy, I'm a scout! Not like that!" He yelped as a burly Goron leaned towards him, arm drawing back for a swing. "For _Loftwings!_ I'm a pilot!"

Link's jaw dropped to the ground and he rushed forward, pulling the Hylian from the ground in one swift motion. "Shad?"

Shad turned to Link and his eyes widened with shock, then concealed his surprise with an easy, and remarkably believable, smile. "Epona! There you are! I've been looking for you everywhere."

"My cousin." Link nodded his head to Shad, raising his eyebrows at the Gorons who lowered theirs in response.

"Epona, tell them I'm not a spy. Tell them!" Shad clung to Link's shirt, knuckles whitening from his tense grip. Link chuckled and rolled his eyes.

"This guy? He couldn't be a spy if he _tried._ Last Loftwing race he tried to sneak into the kitchen to get a midnight snack – nerves before the race, y'know? He upended the entire china cabinet, then knocked it out the window and onto the neighbor's car. If the crash didn't wake you the car alarm did, and all because this guy wanted some Bokoblin Bites. Naw, not Shad. I think you've got the wrong guy."

One of the Gorons narrowed his eyes and stabbed a thick finger towards Link's chest. "How do we know you're not working for him, too?"

"Me?" Link rasied his hands in surrender, then laughed. "I don't even have a job, mate. I'm not the spy type."

"Epona's the freeloader in our family." Shad fumbled for an explanation, dramatically jabbing a thumb in Link's direction.

"Yeah, yeah. These guys don't want to hear my life story, though. Come on, Shad, we'd better get back to the hotel." Link started to pull Shad away from the menacing Gorons by his collar, feeling a bead of sweat trickle down his temple.

The Gorons didn't seem to buy their tale, cracking their knuckles menacingly and grinding their teeth. Shad clung to Link's sleeve for dear life as the Gorons slowly closed in on them, looming over their heads in a shadow of rocky and muscled might...

"What's going on here?" A voice cried from behind Link and the oncoming Gorons, who turned to see a Zora standing before them with its arms crossed angrily. Upon further inspection Link realized that 'it' was actually a she, with deep blue skin and flipper-like appendages protruding from her forearms. She was glaring at the Gorons something fierce and looked like a fistfight would make her day. Link found himself liking her immediately.

"Just a bunch of punks. _Epona."_ One of them sneered, and Link resisted the urge to groan aloud. The Zora girl rolled her eyes and flashed Link and Shad a smile. The latter turned crimson red and stuttered out a line of gibberish that probably translated to, 'marry me.'

"They didn't mean any harm." Linking elbows with Shad, the Zora girl started to tug him away from the cluster of Gorons, brutish faces stupified at the sudden turn of events. "We'll be going now."

"Right. Cheers!" Link nodded to the Gorons, who scowled deeply as he waltzed away with the lovestruck Shad and the mysterious Zora girl.

"T-thank you for saving us!" Shad stammered, half-jogging to keep up with the Zora's swift pace. She smiled kindly at him and Link watched Shad's expression melt to blissful joy.

"No problem. Gorons are assholes." She tossed her head and Link felt himself grinning. _She's a keeper._ "Although I expected you to carry yourself better in a situation like that, Shad."

Link froze on the pavement, staring at the Zora girl and the puppy-eyed Shad. "Wait a minute. You two know each other?"

The Zora's eyes met with Shad's and she took a step away from him. "Um, we're just acquaintances. Shad, how do you know this Epona character?"

"It's Link, actually." Link butted in before his goddesses-awful nickname actually took root.

"Epona sounds cooler." The Zora girl shrugged fluidly.

"Funny, I get that a lot. And you didn't answer my question." Link retorted and the Zora's lips twitched up in a wry smile.

"Fine. Shad and I, well..." Her eyes flitted over the scene, furtively glancing around before focusing on Link again. "We met in the Resistance. Why are you here, _Epona?"_

"You wouldn't believe him if he told you." An annoyingly familiar voice piped up from Link's knees and he glanced down to see Kindel standing at his side. "You abandoned me back there! Some Hero you are, mister..."

The Zora's eyes widened to the size of saucers and she froze. "Did he just say _Hero?"_

"I know they say the Zora are stupid, but..." Kindel fired back, and Link kicked the Korok discreetly to keep him from insulting their new rebel friend. The Zora girl was too shocked to sass Kindel back, grabbing Link's wrist and dragging him after her. Shad and Kindel lagged behind them, a little sullen that they weren't the focus of conversation anymore.

"You've got to come with me _right now._ " The Zora girl whispered. "Someone very important needs to see you. We've been waiting for so long!"

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Resistance. Yeah, that's right, the Resistance. The shadowy, expansive revolution group you've heard very little about until now. Funds go to medicines, weapons, and general kick-butt-ness against Gangstadorf. If your wallets haven't been emptied already, that is :)**

 **Happy Fortune Cookie Fridays, my wonderful readers! Thanks so much as always for taking time out of your day to read my crazy ramblings...**

 **Until next time!**


	40. Ocean's Two

**We just hit chapter 40! I can't believe you've been sticking around for 40 chapters!**

 **Not much else to say up here... Read on!**

If Castle Town's streets were confusing, Clock Town's were absolute torture.

The Zora girl dragged Link by the hand through alleys that were barely broader than his shoulders, cluttered with a strange variety of rotting wooden furniture and drying clothes. People crouched in the doorways, ragged fabric hanging off of their thin frames. Eyes like black holes stared into Link as he passed, following him wordlessly as the Zora girl led him through the maze that was Clock Town. Kindel was barely able to keep up, shouting after Link's retreating back in a mixture of Korok oaths and complaints.

As they plunged into the heart of the city Link only grew more unnerved. Shadows cast eerie strokes of black across the damp alleyways, adding to the mysterious mood of the scene. Castle Town had its fair share of slums and underclass, but the sheer amount of homeless and hopeless in Clock Town was staggering. One man crouched against the wall lashed out and snatched Link's wrist in his bony hand, nails yellowed and long like claws.

"Spare a rupee, boy?" He hissed, revealing rotting teeth in a grimace-like smile. Beady eyes fixed on Zelda's pouch at Link's waist.

Link tried to pull his arm out of the man's grasp, but the hobo was surprisingly strong. "It's only a rupee..." The man sneered. "Don't want us to touch you, huh? Don't want us around?"

Narrowing his eyes, Link tugged his wrist back and out of the man's grip, racing off after the Zora girl. The hobo's cackling laughter echoed after him like thunder, maniacal and insane.

If the Zora girl was affected by any of this she didn't show it, plowing her way through the tiny streets like an expert. It was all Link could do to keep up with her – if he lost sight of his guide he would be hopelessly lost, and then what? Rabid hobos would eat him alive, most likely.

"Can you slow down for a second?" Kindel wheezed at Link's heels. "It's not easy to keep pace with someone who's ten times taller than you are."

"What was that about your being an elite soldier-spy? I guess you're a little past your prime, though, old man."

"When this is all over I'm going to kill you," Kindel growled, and he sounded like he meant it.

As they jogged Link noticed the election posters beaming down at him, just another thing he had to worry about, and the surprising amount of anti-Gangstadorf graffiti that decorated the walls. He had seen it before, but entire walls were painted like murals in detail of Gangstadorf impaled with a thousand spears, Bokoblins pierced with swords and arrows, and enormous paintings of a familiar green figure.

"The Hero makes his entrance." Link nodded in the direction of the wall and Kindel smirked sarcastically.

"Yeah, you'd be more useful as a painting than a person. Scratch that – with a face like yours, artwork everywhere would be defaced by your very presence."

"I can tell what Alder saw in you, Kindel. Your very being screams ' _soldier of everything right and good in this world!"_

"I could say the same for you, but..."

"When this is all over I'm going to kill _you_." Link scowled down at the Korok , who flashed him a cheeky grin.

The Zora girl held up a hand when the reached a block of ratty-looking apartments. Shutters hung from rusty nails, and the windows were decorated with a colorful image of Gangstadorf on a throne of bones. The door they stood before seemed unassuming, moldering wood tarred black, but the Zora girl seemed noticeably nervous when she rapped her knuckles against the wood.

"Listen," She spun to face Link and gripped his shoulders, "Whatever you do, don't make a fool of yourself. You know how many 'Heroes' I've dragged back to base to find out they're frauds? I need this break. Besides, they'll flay you alive if they find out you're an impostor. The Resistance needs this lead!"

"Great," Link replied weakly, still fixed on the _flay you alive_ part.

"All right." Still anxious, the Zora girl turned as the door creaked open to reveal the burliest Hylian Link had ever seen. If this man took one step in the arenas in Castle Town everyone would run away wetting their pants with fear. His muscle-bound frame could barely fit through the door, with arms as wide around as tree trunks and a brutish, flat face. Link had to double-check to make sure he wasn't a Moblin.

"A rat who gnaws at a Skullrope's tail invites destruction." The man growled, his voice gravelly and low. The Zora girl appeared unfazed, flashing the man a grin.

"Keep your broken arm inside your sleeve." Link's eyes automatically dropped to the man's arms, which were decidedly not broken. The man's thick lips twisted up in a smile and he gestured for them to enter the house, shifting his massive bulk aside to let them pass. Link lowered his head in a 'don't eat me' gesture with Kindel trailing at his heels.

The Resistance's base was small, but not unimpressive. All of the furniture in what Link assumed to be the cramped living room had been removed and replaced with an enormous table, on which was spread a massive map of Clock Town. Various locations had been pricked with pins and flags, shaded varying colors of red, or decorated with emblems of Bokoblins gangs. A collection of chairs ringed the table, where a motley of people sat, pondering the map in front of them.

They all rose in unison when the Zora girl came in, and the room fell into relative silence, save a man who muttered, "Great, another one?" A grizzled-looking man stepped forward and addressed the Zora girl, smirking slightly.

"I hear and forget, I see and remember. I do and I understand." The man said, then turned to Link expectantly. The Zora girl did the same, and he resisted every urge to shrink away from their stares.

"Well? Do you agree?" The Zora girl asked, her eyes flinty. _Don't mess this up._

"Er... Conjunction junction, what's your function?" Link added feebly, and the girl groaned softly. Kindel kicked Link's shin and the grizzled man's cheerful expression fell swiftly. Grabbing his sleeve, the Zora girl tugged Link out of the room and back into the hallway.

"This is hopeless. You're hopeless!" She seethed, and Link threw his hands into the air with frustration.

"What? Look, I don't even know what was going on back there? What is this? What did I say?"

"You called his niece a whore."

" _What?"_

"She's seven."

"Oh, Nayru..." Link moaned, ignoring Kindel's snickers at his ankles.

"You have one more shot at this. Don't screw it up!" The Zora girl jabbed her finger into his chest, then stormed back into the room.

Muttering a few choice words, Link took a breath and collected himself. He followed the Zora back into the room, where the men and women were still assembled, looking tired and slightly bored.

The grizzled man opened his mouth to speak, but before he could Link held up a hand. "No, I'm going to stop you there. No more riddles or puzzles, okay? And I didn't mean that about your niece, I'm sure she's perfectly delightful."

 _Here goes nothing._

"I know you have no reason to believe I'm the Hero," He began, loosening the scabbard on his back. The fabric fell away, revealing the intricate and expensive-looking sheath. A few of the Resistance took in sharp breaths, but most still looked unimpressed. "Maybe I can convince you this way."

In one swift motion he drew the Master Sword, the blade's edge shining in the dim light of the room. A faint glow hovered around the sword, illuminating the nooks and crannies of the shabby apartment. The Zora girl crossed her arms and cast the crowd a magisterial glare.

Most of the people in the crowd seemed impressed, but the man who had spoken riddles to Link still didn't seem sold. Tugging down his sleeve, Link revealed the Triforce symbol emblazoned on the back of his hand, faint in the half-light. "That enough for you?"

"By Hylia." A man in the back of the room gasped. "The Hero really has returned."

The room exploded into a shouting match as the men and women leaped onto the table, jabbering to each other rapid-fire. Link had to step back as a man leaped halfway across the room, clusters of paper flying in his wake. Kindel clung to Link's leg in an effort to keep from being swept away from the tide of people darting in and out of the room, until it was stuffed with Zora, Gorons and Hylians all yammering to each other.

"What happened?" Link shouted over the din to the Zora girl, who flashed him a grin of pure bliss.

"I guess I should congratulate you for showing them up." She smiled, then extended a hand. "I'm Lulu, by the way."

"Link. Which you already know, of course." They shook hands, and Kindel wolf-whistled.

"Hey hotshots, can someone explain what the _hell is going on?"_ The Korok climbed his way up to Link's shoulder and latched a hand in Link's hair to keep himself steady. Eye-level with Lulu, the Korok puffed out his chest in a show of bravado and importance. "On behalf of the Koroks, I, Kindel, Alder's hand-selected lead scout, offer you our support."

Lulu's smile faded to a respectful mask. "I heard what happened to your race. On behalf of the Resistance, I extend my condolences."

"Thank you." Kindel nodded firmly. "Now, can I get an answer? Do I have to ask you in riddles or something? 'The lily blooms out of a Tektite's eyeball. Is the ocean red or blue?'"

The Zora girl laughed softly. "I understand you loud and clear. That was a test, to see how our Heroes carry themselves under pressure. Conjunction junction?"

"Nothing..." Link mumbled, flushing with embarrassment.

"I can explain this, er, mess." Lulu gestured to the frenzied Resistance members. "We've been waiting for something to end the stagnation in Clock Town. Everyone had their theories, time travel and gang wars and the like, but mine was the mythical Hero. And I stumble across him on the street." Link gave her a confused glance and she pointed to the Master Sword. "I saw the hilt of the blade. I've been studying the Hero ever since I knew finding him – you – would advance the revolution." Her eyes sparkled with pride and excitement.

"Huh. You're really into this whole revolution deal." Kindel noted.

Lulu's eyes turned steely again, flashing with a bright fire. "Gangstadorf killed my parents. I want to make him sing soprano for the rest of his life." Link noted to _never_ get on this girl's bad side.

"Well, what's going on here?" Kindel gestured to the crowd around the table.

"Oh, they're just moving around our pawns. Activating sleeper cells, mobilizing troops. If this stupid turf war wasn't going on we could get a move on with turning the citizens." Lulu scowled.

"But you're a Zora? Shouldn't you be participating or something?" Kindel asked, before Link could hiss at him to be quiet.

Lulu fixed the Korok with a glare that stopped him dead in his tracks. "Just because I'm a Zora doesn't mean I'm part of their petty squabbles. Here at the Resistance we can overcome feuds, fight for a greater purpose than another block of territory."

"Oh. Right." Kindel seemed embarrassed, ducking slightly behind Link's head. Probably to avoid singing soprano, Link assumed.

Someone grabbed Link's shoulder and spun him around, thrusting their hand in his face. "Hero! It's an honor, such an honor, the gift bestowed by the goddess..." An older man stood before him, face flushed and boyish with excitement. "The Resistance will benefit incredibly from your service, truly. A rallying point for the public! Someone for the world to look up to. Well, a hero!"

"Yeah, thanks..." Link shook the man's hand, then was yanked away to face a large woman with a smile that split her face.

"Welcome to our humble abode, Hero. Trust me, we're bigger than we look. The Resistance welcomes you. I'm Telma, the woman who actually owns this joint." She gave him a beaming smile and he nodded.

"Well, thank you for your hospitality."

"Ooh, so polite! I can see why Lulu likes you." Telma winked and Link fumbled for a response to insist it wasn't like that, but the woman sauntered off before he could get the words out.

The next person who demanded his attention was no one other than Shad, still looking ruffled and nervous from the encounter with the Gorons.

"I guess I should thank you for saving me this morning. Those beasts would have eaten me alive!" Shad rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "And I owe you an apology for Skyloft. I was... I was awful."

"I should apologize for giving you that shiner." Link pointed to Shad's black eye.

The grizzled-looking man from earlier placed a hand on Link's arm and gave him a thin smile. "Son, can I take a moment to brief you on your mission?"

"Mission?" Link asked, wondering for a fleeting second if the man was still talking in code.

The man nodded swiftly, then angled his gaze to the frenzied crowd. "It'll be a welcome getaway from this lot. Don't mind the panic, the Resistance is about as organized as you can get. For a secret rebellion group hiding under Gangstadorf's nose, that is."

Without another word the man plunged into the throng, and Link followed him to a room set off from the main room, practically a closet. A few chairs were cramped into the small space, barely enough for Link, the man, Lulu and Kindel to sit in.

"I'm Auru, acting leader of the resistance. Conjunction junction, huh?" Auru smirked and Link restrained the urge to bury his head in his hands. "Nevermind, I've heard worse. Don't worry about it, we're all given the turnaround by the translation test."

"Ah. Yes." Link nodded, trying to pretend he knew what the man, Auru, was talking about.

"Since you're new here, I'll give you a heavily abbreviated history of the Resistance." Auru began, and Lulu groaned.

"Can we skip the formalities? Just tell Link what he's here for." The Zora girl frowned, and Auru nodded.

"Very well. Link, you're the Hero. That's a heavy burden. Some would even call it a curse. But don't all curses have gifts that come along with them?"

"No, actually. That's not at all true." Kindel muttered, and Auru elected to ignore him.

"Link, you're a public figure. Everyone knows the story of the Hero, the mythical man with the sword of destiny – or something like that. What's better, everyone is discontent. They pretend their lives are ordinary, but you've witnessed the world firsthand. Hyrule is a tinderbox, and you're the spark we need to set it alight."

Link sat back in his chair. "Nice speech. How long did you practice it?"

"Every night before bed. Did it seem a little rushed?"

"Nah, it was good."

"Excellent." Regaining his composure, Auru turned to Link. His eyes were deadly serious, with an intensity that matched Lulu's perfectly. "I could ask you to go beat up some Bokoblin mobs or rescue cats from trees, but the Resistance wants something more. How are your public speaking skills?"

"Excuse me?"

Auru smiled graciously. "Let me explain. Gangstadorf is having a rally of sorts for the upcoming 'election,'" He mimed quotes with his fingers. "We're going to hijack it, for all of Hyrule to see, and throw Clock Town into revolt."

Link took a slow breath, processing the rush of information. "Wow. That's a big undertaking. But how do you know it will work? What percent of the public is involved with the Resistance? How do you know that they're ready to revolt? Will Gangstadorf have riot police there to stop us? Won't he anticipate this?"

"So many questions, I like that." Auru chuckled. "Leave the technicalities to us, son. You just have to look nice and read to cards. Do you have a Hero costume or something? We can get Telma to sew one for you."

Anger boiled in Link's stomach and he leaped to his feet, leaning over Auru. "I don't think you understand what being the Hero entails. I've seen an entire race _burn_ at my feet. I've killed more times than I can count. Hell, I was stabbed in the leg by Gangstadorf himself. I've seen monsters that would make you piss your pants and killed them with the Master Sword, the weapon of the Hero passed down from the beginning of _time._ I earned every stitch of the Hero's – what did you call it? A 'costume?' So don't think for one second I'm just a pretty poster boy who will read _cards_ for your speech. Tell me."

The last two words were barking commands, and Auru shrank back in his seat slightly, almost imperceptibly. "All right then." Auru stood, straightening his gloves as he did so. "I guess I underestimated you."

Unless Link's ears were deceiving him, he thought he heard Kindel mutter, "Damn straight."

"We have lots of work to do. Come! I'll show you where the magic happens."

 ***shamelessly quotes Ocean's Twelve because I have exactly 0.00 cares***

 **Okay _so_ I had this idea for a Marvel post-Civil War AU, where Tony Stark tightens national security and brands Team Cap as terrorists, and how things fall out from there. Should I post?**

 **Thanks as always for reading, hope you get my virtual hugs in your inbox :)**

 **Until next time!**


	41. The Evil Empire

***a wild reader appears***

 ***go, spade-of-hearts!***

 ***spade-of-hearts used Read On!***

 ***it's super effective!***

Auru led Link up a rickety set of stairs, so they were above the heads of the crowd, and then into another one of the offset rooms. The upstairs of the apartment was eerily silent compared to the ruckus downstairs, but it was a change that Link could appreciate.

Inside of the room sat Telma, the woman who had introduced herself earlier, a beaming smile still set on her face. Beside her on a deflated-looking sofa sat a girl who couldn't be much older than Link, scrolling the screen on her cell phone. Her exotic looks were striking, and Link had to force himself from staring at her awkwardly. The girl looked up and gave him a quick up-and-down, then sighed and turned her attention back to her cell.

On a separate chair sat a fatherly-looking man, wearing inexpensive and worn clothes. If Link had seen him on the streets he wouldn't have given the man a second glance. The only noticeable feature of his were his eyes, sharp and calculating. Intelligence lurked behind him, and Link felt his respect for the man grow. Auru seated himself in a chair, stroking his long sideburns thoughtfully. Link took a seat next to Auru and watched as Shad opened the door and stepped inside, with Lulu behind him. They sat next to each other on a couch, and Shad's cheeks flushed a blotchy scarlet. Lulu didn't even look his way.

"Thank you for gathering here, especially in a crazy time such as this. What with the Hero's return, the start of phase two, things have been getting a little hectic. But now, to business. I judge that Link here is ready for his task. Do you agree?"

"Wait," Link turned to Auru, frowning slightly, "What's this about a task? I thought you were rambling about notecards and figureheads."

The girl snorted, eyes still scanning her phone screen. "He's a right genius. Everything's a test, brain boy."

Link bristled but didn't respond. Auru nodded his head towards the girl. "That's Ashei. You've met Telma and Shad, of course. Rusl –" The fatherly man smiled – "And of course, me. We form the acting heads of the Resistance, and we all extend our welcomes."

Kindel crawled to the top of a folding chair and surveyed the group. "Wait – Shad's an acting head of the Resistance?"

"You don't have to sound so incredulous..." Shad grumbled. "Skyloft division, to be precise. I came back to inform the Resistance about a possible lead for our revolt. It appears I was right."

"Not to toot your own horn or anything." Ashei snickered, and Telma nudged her.

"Ashei..."

"Fine." The girl turned off her cell and slid it into her pocket, glaring at Link like he had kicked her favorite puppy. "What's so important about _him?"_

"Well, he just so happens to be the fabled Hero of Time. No big deal, right?" Link raised an eyebrow at the girl and she smirked slightly.

"Ooh, I like him."

"Ashei's a tech wizard. She's going to keep our feed of Gangstadorf's rally on all channels, all the time. She's also rigged some incredible weapons for the Resistance."

"Because your bungling troops can't do any good with just bullets." Ashei leaned back and put her hands behind her head leisurely.

Auru turned back to Link. "And now it's time to answer your questions, Link. Frankly, we don't need much of you. The rally will be held in the East Plaza, where Gangstadorf's spokespeople will ramble on about how great he is and how we need to vote for him. Meanwhile, the Resistance will be operating throughout the city. The crowd at the plaza is our main focal point, with you on the top of the building where you'll make your speech. For dramatic effect, of course. We'll be instigating riots throughout the city, and the citizens will take care of the rest. Add some panic, stir it in with age-old rage, and Clock Town should be in revolt by morning. Then you can be on your way."

"Let's address the Snurgle in the room here – what if it doesn't work? Maybe the citizens aren't mad enough. Maybe the Bokoblin gangs sweep in and kill all the rebels. Then what?" Kindel interjected, starting to pace on the top of his chair.

"You want an answer?" Rusl rumbled. "We don't know. We can't pretend we know the outcome. But Telma manages affairs in Clock Town itself, keeping tabs on people who would be willing to revolt. What do you have to report?"

Telma sat forward on the sofa, her expression grave. "We've reached a breaking point. The people will either rise with pitchforks in hand or fall back down into defeated acceptance. We can't let the latter happen, now can we? Rusl, Shad, what about Castle Town and Skyloft? Are they ready to revolt?"

Shifting in his seat, Shad looked down at his shoes. "Skyloft isn't as worse off as the rest of the towns, probably because of its isolation. People are remotely satisfied, not near enough to fight."

Link had noticed that when he had visited Skyloft – it was the only town where he had seen people who were genuinely happy. And Castle Town... He hadn't been there in so long, but it seemed like it could fall either way. Rusl affirmed this shortly afterwards.

"Clock Town is where it all begins." Auru's eyes drilled into Link, ever serious and stony. "If you don't mind helping us, Link, the people will come to your side. Maybe we can get one step closer to defeating Gangstadorf, together."

Link's gaze swept over the leaders of the Resistance – a ramshackle group, certainly, but a powerful one. "What can I say? I'm in."

As much as Link liked to pretend he wasn't a poster boy, the Resistance seemed to have other ideas. Ashei immediately whisked him off to another private room to start working on his speech.

"This is literally the _only_ thing the Resistance needs you to do, okay? Don't mess it up." She advised, crossing her arms and glaring at him with a look close to utter revulsion. Kindel scrambled onto a stool and watched Link with a wry smile on his face.

"Okay... Do I just go?"

"Yes."

"Um... All right, then. Friends, Hylians, countrymen..."

"Oh, Nayru!" Ashei sagged against the wall, pressing her palms against her temples. "That was so bad. Like, world-endingly bad. This is me, barfing out my internal organs because of the sheer suck you just displayed to me. Are you sure he's the Hero?" She turned to Kindel.

"I find myself asking the very same question." Kindel shot Link a devilish smile.

"Fine. How would you present your speech, your majesty?" Link scowled at Ashei, who stood and started to pace.

"I'd make sure the empathize to the people. You're one of them, not some mighty – and disputed – hero. They can trust you because you know what they're going through. In a way, they can project themselves into you and become their own Heroes in their own menial, plebeian ways by rebellion against Gangstadorf in riots."

Link shook his head slowly. "You have the rare talent of being intelligent and insulting in the same sentence."

"Thanks, I try. Anyways, give it another go."

Kindel badly disguised a groan as a cough and Link was sorely tempted to turn the Korok into a salad bar. He had barely opened his mouth when Ashei held up a hand and shushed him.

"I'm going to stop you right there."

"I didn't say anything!"

"Your body language speaks loud and clear. Frankly, you look like a loser, and no one wants to follow in the footsteps of a loser. Stand up straight and tall. Don't you have the Hero's clothes or something?"

Kindel hopped to his feet on the stool. "Courtesy of the Koroks, mind you. Freshly laundered for centuries before he came along."

"Great, at least I can smell like an island breeze while Gangstadorf stabs me through the heart." Link snapped, and Kindel shrugged.

"Link, you need to make the people trust you. The way you walk, the way you speak, they need to believe in you. Shoulders back, head held high. You're not just some kid with a sword and a costume, a vigilante who thinks he can change something. You can and _will_ change things." Ashei paused for a second, then grinned. "That is, if they're not keeling over from your abysmal public speaking skills."

"I think your personality would get to them first." Link fired back, and Ashei beamed.

"That's the sarcasm I'm talking about. Now come on, try again."

After a few more futile attempts at a speech, all shot down within the first few words, Ashei decided it would be a better use of their time to show Link around the Resistance base. Everywhere people crowded the hallways, weighed down with reports or ammunition. The entire enterprise seemed to be balancing on chaotic control, a stark contrast to Gangstadorf's strictly outlined system. It was a change, but Link liked it.

"This is where we manage our separate units in the city." Ashei tilted her head toward one doorway. "And here's our weapons depot. Every scrap of metal we get from donations or factories comes through here."

"And how about there?" Link pointed to an especially crowded room. "Planning tactical coups against the government?"

"That's the break room, idiot."

Link could surmise from the tour that the Resistance was a much larger operation than he had assumed. They had groups in every large city, were far better equipped than he would have guessed, and appeared to be startlingly capable of starting a revolution in the already volatile Clock Town. Ashei seemed to have warmed up to him ever so slightly – her insults had morphed from 'dung heap' to 'utter fool,' which Link supposed was progress.

"Ashei seems to have taken a liking to you." Shad informed Link when they had a small moment of calm in the Resistance base.

"She's not actively trying to murder me, if that's what you mean."

Shad shook his head, glancing over her shoulder to where Ashei stood, talking with Lulu. "When I first came here she didn't speak to me for _weeks._ All I got were contemptuous glares. Her first words to me were... Colorful, to say the least. But she actually talks to you!"

"In her own unique language, sure." Link caught on to what Shad was implying and nudged him with his arm. "What about you and Lulu, huh? How long has that been going on?"

Shad jumped about a foot in the air and blushed beet-red, waving his hands frantically. "What? No way, never in a million years. She and I... We're just friends, really."

"I'll take your word for it..." Link grinned and Shad only flushed a deeper shade of scarlet.

The excitement of the Resistance soon faded to boredom as everyone returned to their tasks, leaving Link and Kindel bored and aimless. In his free time Link had taken to shadowing various members of the Resistance, watching as they filed reports, organized riot points and sent out squadrons to canvass for any forces of Gangstadorf's positioned to quench any rebellion. Even though the famed speech wasn't set until days later, the Resistance wasted no time planning said resistance. They seemed to settle into the idea of the Hero of Time lounging in their building relatively quickly.

Only when a bedraggled man burst through the doors in a panic did the calm of the afternoon shatter.

"Somehow they know!" He shouted, drawing the attention of everyone in earshot. "They've rescheduled the speech for sundown tonight. _Tonight!"_

Auru burst from a room upstairs and clung to the banister with white knuckles, staring down at the man below him. "You know this is a definite fact?"

"They started construction on the dais and podium minutes ago! We have hours to mobilize or we'll miss this opportunity."

"There may never be a chance like this again!" Rusl growled, pounding a fist on the banister beside Auru. "We have to shift into high gear, Auru. I'll contact the riot points and tell them to get ready."

Ashei scrolled the screen of her phone quickly, eyes flicking back and forth as she read. "There was just a news broadcast announcing the change, and it's all over the net. This is going to be big." She raised her head to face Auru. "Want me to make it bigger?"

He nodded and she started frantically typing on her phone. How a single girl could increase the size of a rebellion with a single cell phone was beyond Link, but he didn't doubt Ashei could do it.

Kindel tugged on Link's sleeve. "Does that mean you're going to be serenading the people of Clock Town with your dulcet tones tonight?"

"The speech." Link cringed. "I was horrible, you saw me."

"Sure did." Kindel smirked.

"Kindel, how am I going to do this?" Link grabbed the Korok with both hands. "I can't give a speech."

Kindel slowly wiggled his way out of Link's grip. "Sure, like you couldn't complete that silent realm after failing the first time. Which, to be fair, was really funny..."

"Kindel, I'm serious!" Link nearly yelled. "Consider this from my point of view. We come to the Resistance looking for information on the silent realm, and instead they want me to go up and cause an entire _city_ to rebel based on my charming personality."

"What charming personality?"

"Will you be serious for _one minute?"_ Link roared, earning a score of nervous glances from nearby Resistance members. "Is everything a joke to you? Goddesses, Kindel, I swear..."

Kindel's expression darkened. "You need to calm down, now."

"No." Link pointed a finger at Kindel. "Do you get what I'm saying? I can't do this. I have known these people for about three hours, and they think I'm some god-like warrior with the ability to stir up the population against Gangstadorf. Well, surprise, I _can't._ "

"You could give a speech just fine, you seem to like the sound of your own voice well enough as is." Kindel replied, then held up a hand. "Don't respond to that. Let me talk to you for one second. I'll admit, when I found you in Skyloft I was mad. But now, Link, I've seen you do the impossible. I know that sounds super fake, but it isn't. From what I've heard about the silent realm, that's the closest thing to hell in the realm. And you _beat_ it. A test designed by the goddesses themselves? That's pretty damn good for the resume, son. Being the Hero of Time helps too, of course." He noticed Link's expression and quickly changed the topic. "What I'm trying to say is, if you can destroy ancient beasts of evil, scrounge your way across the realm with a motorcycle and a quick-witted and devilishly handsome sidekick – that's me, of course – and do it all without being caught by Gangstadorf's famed Bokoblin gangs and police, then who's to say you can't give a single speech?"

Link's anger slowly deflated, along with most of his panic. "That was... Surprisingly motivational."

The Korok placed his hands on his hips and looked very pleased with himself. "It was, wasn't it? So, you think you can do this?"

"It's easier than a silent realm." Link shrugged, then paused for a moment. "I'm sorry, by the way."

"Forget about it." Kindel replied breezily. "If it makes you feel any better, the first time I went on a real covert mission for Alder I dropped my slingshot on our target's head. Trust me, I know a thing or two about nerves."

Link nodded and feigned a smile, but guild still burned at the pit of his stomach. Kindel slugged him lightly on the arm. "I said, forget about it. You're just a kid in a job that the golden goddesses themselves probably couldn't do. You have the right to vent every once and a while."

Auru appeared at the top of the stairs and waved to get Link's attention. "Come up here – we have some business to attend to." He called, and Kindel leaped onto Link's shoulder.

"Let's go, my noble steed!" The Korok called, and Link groaned.

"I knew it was too good to last..."

 **the halls are alive with the sound of cowbells... i hate homecoming.**

 **Hope your Friday was significantly better than mine! Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Hero of Time Speaks Organization, which helps with your public speaking skills and oral reports. Never fail a presentation again! Just kidding, I got nothing. You're probably cleaned out of rupees anyways.**

 **Until next time! :)**


	42. Revolution

**AYYY hello! Welcome back to Remnants! Where heroes are sassy, Koroks are sassy, authors are sassy... Everyone's a sassmeister, I guess.**

 **Who am I to delay you? Read on!**

Minutes later Link was ushered into a small bathroom and ordered to change into the Hero's uniform. Begrudgingly he pulled the outfit out of Zelda's pouch and put it on. Kindel dutifully waited outside and gave him a once-over when he exited, earning Link an approving nod.

"You look like a Hero, all right."

"I don't know about this Kindel. Not the whole speech thing, wearing this." He smoothed down the tunic with both hands. "I don't want to use this to be a rallying point for the people. I don't want the Resistance to manipulate it, you know?"

"Want to know what I think?" Kindel asked. "I think if the goddesses were going for a more discreet, let's-not-let-the-Hero-be-a-rallying-point-for-the-people thing, they wouldn't have given a grown man a green tunic." And that was that.

A small group of Resistance soldiers dressed all in black waited for Link in the main room, looking very focused and intense. The leader of the group was a tall, square-jawed man who crushed Link's hand in a handshake. "We're here to bring you to the rooftop. This is a covert mission, so try to keep the noise to a minimum, all right?"

"I guess we'll have to leave Kindel here, then." Link nudged the Korok with his boot, earning a snicker from one of the soldiers.

The five Resistance soldiers reached the roof of the building easily and set off running for the East Plaza. Rooftop travel was an entirely new experience to Link, and it gave him an amazing view of the city. Searchlights spiraled through the darkening night sky, presumably from the plaza, and below his feet throngs of citizens were walking through the streets, all heading in the same direction Link was. _Ashei did her work well._

It was hard to keep his eyes from the skyline and on his feet, and he nearly took a shortcut to the pavement multiple times. The slanting roofs didn't help, either, but he managed to remain unscathed by the journey when they reached the plaza.

East Plaza was in one of the older districts, so the buildings reflected an antique style. The roofs had parapets behind which Link and the Resistance soldiers hid, and the brickwork was pitted with age. In the middle of the plaza stood an enormous gas lamp, and brightly colored banners spread to the four corners of the plaza, fluttering in the breeze. The night was warm and the collecting crowd only raised the temperature, and Link started to regret the stifling Hero's uniform.

The squad leader tapped Link on the arm. "I'll leave two here with you in case things get ugly. We're going to scout out any remaining riot police. Good luck!" In a blur of shadow he was gone, and two more soldiers went with him.

"Guess it's just the four of us." Kindel crouched next to Link, even though the top of his diminutive head reached halfway to the top of the parapet. He had quickly adjusted to super-spy mode, almost comically. "I'll scout out the area."

"I think we already have people on that." Link jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the other two soldiers, who were scanning the rooftops with their bows already drawn. "What are you going to do when someone shoots me through the heart with an arrow? Insult them to death?"

"Not if you bore them to death first."

Link peered over the edge of the parapet and saw the throng of people below grown only denser. Hylians, Zora and Gorons all crammed into the small space, pushing as close as they could to the dais. Many fanned their faces with glossy brochures depicting a smiling Gangstadorf. _We're here for YOU!_ The tacky-looking flyer declared.

The low hum of the crowd rose to deafening applause and Link looked down to see the crowd shoving their way closer to the speaker. He was a little man, wizened and badly balding, but the members of the crowd seemed to think he was the best thing in the world. Hoots and cheers reached to the sky, mixed with deafening applause. The spotlight swiveled down from the sky and fixed the man in intense white light.

"Welcome, all!" He shouted over the din of the crowd, and Link then noticed the mixed replies from the audience. Many were cheering wildly, but quite a few seemed very discontent. Some even had the gall to boo.

"On behalf of our mayor I welcome you all!" The man patted a handkerchief to his temples. "Another election looms on the horizon, my friends! Ordinarily this would be a time of turmoil, a rift for our people. But who brings us together, who mends us?"

"Gangstadorf!" The crowd roared back.

Link lowered his head and faced Kindel. "Tough crowd."

The balding man below frantically tried to quiet the crowd, but the swelling volume seemed to only grow louder. "They either _really_ like Gangstadorf..." Kindel smirked, "Or something's about to go down."

"Please, my friends!" The balding man wiped at his head with his handkerchief, waving the other hand in an attempt to placate the audience. They swarmed forward to the dais, filling the plaza with an enormous crush of people. Upbeat music pumped from the dais' speakers as the balding man started to flee the plaza, but he was quickly caught and wrestled back. Stricken and trembling, the man backed away as the crowd closed in on him, seeming bloodthirsty.

"It's time." Kindel nodded to the crowd. "Go get 'em."

Taking a deep breath, Link collected his thoughts and stepped onto the parapet, looking down at the plaza. He was a long way from the ground, but the height didn't worry him. The audience did. They seemed frenzied, cheering and stamping in a cacophony that shook the city to its roots. The whizz of an arrow pierced the night and Link's blood ran cold, but the crowd seemed unfazed. _Things really are heating up._

The spotlights turned from the dais and abruptly angled to the rooftops where he stood, his shadow cut cleanly by the searing beams of the spotlight. His breath caught in his throat as he looked down at the crowd, so many people gawking at him. The Resistance expected him to bring them to revolt?

 _I can't do this._

Ashei's advice drilled into his head and he relaxed, adjusting his posture. _Forget about the crowd. Forget about the pressure. Just... Talk to them._

"You don't know me," He began, voice amplified through the speakers, "and you have no need to. Only a month or so ago I was just like one of you. Look around, will you? What do you see? You're invisible, just like the man next to you. You're already forgetting what his face looks like. That's how everyone sees you, isn't it? I'm here to tell you _no longer."_

A mumbling spread over the crowd. They slowly pressed closer, trying to get a good look at him.

"You all know the myth of the Hero? Go ahead, laugh. I would if I were you." Link grinned as low chuckles reached his ears. "Myth and folklore, right? Stories to amaze. But, and I repeat, no longer. Don't believe me? That's fine, I didn't expect you to. I didn't believe it when I was told. Add the bogeyman to the mix and you've got a right fairy tale."

"Where am I going with all of this? I'll explain. A month or two ago I was just like you. Lesser than you, probably. Barely getting by, fighting in the arena to make ends meet. Go ahead, shed a few manly tears. I don't mind." Again the laughter. Link released a slow breath and continued, each individual gaze burning into him.

"Living on the streets, you pick up on a few things. You get to know people. You –" He pointed to a middle-aged man in the crowd, who shrank back slightly – "Let me guess. A wife and two kids at home. Unsatisfying job, maybe no job at all. Having trouble making ends meet, right? Wondering how you'll take care of your kids, if there will be food on the table tomorrow. How am I doing so far?"

To Link's surprise, a few shouts of approval were raised from the crowd. "We've allowed ourselves to slip into acceptance. I know I did. I was just a kid at the time, still am? You're asking yourself, why am I listening to this guy? I'll tell you why."

"We like to pretend we despise being invisible, but it's our safeguard. Gangstadorf won't notice us if we keep our heads down. When we see beggars on the sidewalk we hurry past, avoiding their gaze. We try to pretend the despair around us isn't real, that we're somehow better than the scum of the earth, but that's what Gangstadorf thinks we are! Are you the scum of the earth, just another pawn?"

"No!" The shouts echoed in Link's ears, raw pain and anger.

"I thought I was. I couldn't do anything to fix what was going on, so I just bent over and did my share. Don't you _hate_ it? Walking down the street to see Gangstadorf beaming down at you like all's right with the world. Watching Bokoblins stagger through the streets drunk, who get paid more in a month than you do in a year? When did we allow ourselves to fall over at Gangstadorf's feet?"

" _Never!"_ The crowd rushed forward, watching with rapture. The heat of the night reached a simmering level, the anger of the audience barely above boiling. It was now or never.

"I didn't think I could change anything, so I didn't. I didn't _think,_ and that's what our most beloved dictator wants us to do, huh? To him you're like sheep, stupid livestock to be herded. And look what I've become now!" Link raised the Master Sword to the sky, the searchlights glancing off of the blade and casting a thousand beams of light over the crowd. Energy and hate pulsed below him, and it was his to command.

"I know what you're thinking – I'm just a temp, I'm a clerk, what can I do? And I'm here to tell you this. If a kid, a nobody, can do _this,_ imagine what you can do alone? Want to know why there's prison, why Bokoblins are always snuffling around? The actions of a single person can change the scope of the world. Just look at me now!

"Never let yourself fall under the assumption that you're nothing. A single man or woman can turn the tides of war. You can do the impossible. And if the impossible means fighting against Gangstadorf then you can be sure as hell I'll be doing the impossible.

"Do you want your children to be raised like you were, keeping their heads low and their hopes lower? Or do you fight for a better tomorrow, when you can raise your heads and look your fellow man in the eye? You've never been invisible, and you're not invisible now. With your help we can rally together and _fight back!"_

The cheers were like nothing Link had ever heard before, harsh and powerful. Vengeance crashed over the crowd like a storm. Some picked up stones and started hurling them at the balding man, one cutting across his cheek and leaving behind a streak of red. Adrenaline and fear pumped through the audience, and Link realized it was him who had led them to this. He had caused this.

And it felt pretty damn good.

The euphoria lasted for only a moment before the first man fell to the ground, an arrow sprouting from his neck.

Link could only stare as another arrow darted through the night sky and a young woman collapsed, blood spilling over her collar. Then a man behind her, face frozen in a mask of shock as the arrow punctured his chest. The plaza was eerily silent, then the screams of terror washed over Link like a wave.

"Get down!" One of the Resistance guards tugged Link down from the parapet as arrows continued to the fall on the crowd, which was draining quickly from the plaza. Wails of pain rose from the ground and Link ducked as crossbow bolt shattered the brickwork above his head. Both of the Resistance guards leaped to their feet and shot back at the enemy snipers, who responded in turn with their own fire. The second guard grunted with pain as shrapnel from a shot peppered the side of his face.

From what Link could guess the snipers had surrounded the plaza on the other rooftops, but how? Wasn't the Resistance supposed to watch out for that sort of thing? A bitter taste filled Link's mouth and he seethed. _Gangstadorf._

The firefight continued as Link and Kindel crouched behind a chimney, sneaking glances out from behind their hiding places every so often. Something grabbed Link's arm and he jumped about a foot in the air, twisting to see Ashei by his side.

"You need to get out of here!" She whispered, pulling Link behind her and sliding down the other side of the roof. It was all Link could do to keep up with her as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop, scaling windows and awnings. Soon the plaza was far behind them, but Ashei kept running.

"Where are we going?" Link asked her, precariously balancing on a narrow ledge. Ashei nimbly scampered to the next building, not even turning her head to answer his question.

"I want to show you something," Ashei called back, holding out a hand as Link stepped up onto a steep tiled roof. Link heard the faint voice of Kindel far behind him, but his focus wasn't on the Korok. Keeping himself from falling and worrying about the plaza crowd was at the forefront of his thoughts as Ashei ran ahead of him, silhouetted in the moonlight.

Finally she slowed to a stop at what seemed to be the tallest building in Clock Town. It was built like a citadel, with sweeping turrets and sharply angled spires like knives buried in the ink-black sky. A sweeping view of the city lay before Link, every building and street stretching out before his eyes. The shouts were unmistakable – nor were the explosions that shook the citadel to its roots.

"We failed." Link's heart dropped to his feet as he watched. Plumes of fire and smoke burst from the streets, mingled with angry cries.

"No, look!" Ashei slipped her arm through his and pointed to the horizon, where the spotlights from the plaza again roamed the skies. "We didn't fail! You did this, Link. It was streamed on every channel, every radio wave I could get my hands on. So, all of them. I wouldn't be surprised if every man, woman and child in Clock Town heard your speech."

Link's jaw dropped as a burst of fire rumbled from a distant alley. "I did... This? With my lousy speech?"

Laughing softly, Ashei turned to him. "Link, you could have convinced a Bokoblin to be a farmer with that speech."

"Now you're trying to soften the blow."

"Link, I'm serious!" She beamed. "Clock Town was just below boiling, and you flipped the switch. Every single one of our rebellion points is a hotspot of activity. Bokoblin gangs are being ousted as we speak. Local police is in uproar, but they're too busy hiding underneath their desks to retaliate. Clock Town will be ours by midnight."

Ashei was silent for a moment, dropping her gaze to her boots. "Were you serious about what you said? Growing up on the streets like that? You didn't have anyone in your life as a kid?"

A prickle of anger stirred in Link's mind, but he pushed it aside. "Yeah. I get what it's like to have no one to turn to, just you and your wits keeping you alive. That's something Gangstadorf and his minions will never understand." He watched the skyline of Clock Town again, and stab of guilt pressed at his chest. "Ashei, the snipers –"

"You couldn't have done anything about that." She reassured him, tightening her grip on his arm ever so slightly. In the moment it was comforting. "I can't believe Auru wasn't prepared for that."

"I don't want anyone else dying for me." Link growled, the memory of the Forest Village fresh on his mind. _And Kindel... What will he think of me now?_

"You're a hero, Link. _The_ Hero, for Hylia's sake!" Ashei grabbed his shoulders and faced his squarely, eyes boring into his. "Never let anyone tell you otherwise."

Before he could react she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against his, wrapping her arms around him. The motion was so sudden he almost pulled away, then leaned into her embrace. With Clock Town at their feet, collapsed by rebellion, anything was possible...

But something was indefinably _wrong_ about the kiss. Link opened his eyes and gently pulled away. Startled, Ashei gasped and stared at him, then laughed bitterly. Heat rushed across her cheeks and her eyes fixed on the city, anywhere but him.

"I guess I was wrong. There's someone else, isn't there?" Link stammered out a protest and she held up a hand, smiling with a mix of disappointment and shame. "And now I look like an idiot. I'll see you around, Link."

In a flash of shadow she was gone, disappearing into the sea of rooftops that was Clock Town. Link almost called out after her, then sighed and let his feet dangle over the citadel's roof. With a groan he held his head in his hands.

"Link, you asshole." He spat.

"Been busy, have you? I didn't think I'd ever see the woman of steel cry." Kindel remarked sardonically behind him.

"I see you finally caught up." Of course Kindel would be the one to make him feel worse about the situation.

"We need to move." Kindel scrambled down the roof and stood beside Link, arms crossed.

Link turned to him, confused. "But we haven't found out the information about silent realms yet! We need to stay until the rebellion has calmed down, Auru will need us to –"

"Surprise, your job is done here." Gesturing to the city, Kindel kept his gaze locked on Link. It was an intense, angry glare he hadn't seen in a long time. "And, since I'm a genius and very good at sneaking into supposedly well-protected archives, we're en route to the Subrosian Volcanoes."

"Wait, wait, wait. Slow down a second. How did you find out all of this?"

Kindel rolled his eyes and scoffed. "Ugh, do I have to spoon-feed you this stuff? We have to go, _now._ "

Link stood, brushing off the Hero's tunic. "What's the rush? Why can't we study your magical scrolls or something?"

Opening his mouth to reply, Kindel was interrupted by an explosion that shook Link to his knees. He held on tightly to one of the roof's tiles as the citadel trembled, clinging for dear life as the entire city swayed with the quake of the blast. The world was bathed in a brilliant red and Link turned to see a cloud of pure fire climb up in the sky, reeking of ashes and heat. The stars were blotted out by the searing light, which dwarfed any of the Resistance's puny detonations before.

"Something tells me that was _not_ the Resistance." Link's eyes widened as the flames from the blast darkened and flared higher, arching high over Link's head.

"The army's here." Kindel intoned, pulling at Link's sleeve. "We have to _go!"_

"Gangstadorf doesn't have an army."

"He does now. And they're here to kill you."

 **DO YOU HEAR THE KOROKS SING SINGING THE SONG OF ANGRY KOROKS**

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 **Until next time! :)**


	43. Die Another Day

**Get your Aston Martins ready, folks, because we're in for a wild ride.**

 **Well, what are you waiting for? Read on!**

In seconds Link was on his feet and running. Kindel filled him in as they darted over the tiled roofs, the enormous explosion still billowing behind them.

"When did you find out?" Link asked, panting as he jumped over a narrow alley to the other side. Kindel summoned a gust of wind that propelled him across the gap and resumed chase.

"I told you back in Skyloft, remember? Scouting mission. I guess Clock Town is just a trial run."

"I did this." Link breathed out shortly. "I brought them here, it was because of that stupid speech. Kindel, this is my fault!"

The Korok was too busy scampering up a chimney to look at Link, but Link could imagine him rolling his eyes. "Everything's your fault these days, huh? Look, it would have been Clock Town regardless, what with the Resistance and everything. You're lucky the intense police-state stuff hadn't reached this town yet, remember Kasuto? Right now we need to focus on getting out of here."

"An army..." Link shook his head with disbelief. "Who would join Gangstadorf's army? Are they Bokoblins or Hylians? How many are there?"

"Enough to make a lot of things go _boom._ " Kindel pointed to a familiar street – the rotunda in the middle of Clock Town. It was packed with a staggering crush of bodies, all screaming slurs at Gangstadorf. "Get Epona and meet me back here. Try not to draw too much attention to yourself."

Glancing down, Link noticed he was still wearing the Hero's clothes. "Yeah, good luck with that." He muttered, then copied Ashei's motions in climbing down the side of the building. Thankfully there was an abundance of windows and gutters, and he reached the sidewalk safely.

The crowd seemed fully occupied with throwing rocks and screaming at each other, so Link was able to reach the park safely. The bench where Epona was parked had somehow survived the riots, although the rotting wood seemed close to collapsing. The motorcycle leaned against the bench, moonlight glinting off of the chrome.

Kindel leaped onto the mudguard and held on for dear life as Link unlocked Epona and swung his leg over the side, revving the engine. With a squeal of rubber they peeled off into the night, dodging left and right to avoid the groups of people mobbing the streets.

"Where are we going?" Link hollered over the screams and cheers as they rounded the street and barreled down a nearby drive, swerving to avoid an enormous truck that charged their way.

"Um... That's a good question. I have no idea." Kindel replied sheepishly, and Link braked sharply. The Korok was nearly thrown from the front of the motorcycle and wheeled around, glowering at Link. "What was that for?"

"You don't know where we're going? There's an _army_ coming after us and if we don't get out of the city we're dead. And you don't know where we're going?"

"Yep, that sounds right."

Link was about to get up and smack Kindel when another motorcycle pulled up beside them, driven by a strangely familiar girl. She flashed Link a grin and tugged back with her wrist, filling the street with a deafening roar.

"You?" Link gawked.

"Long time no see, Hero. At least you're not bleeding out this time." The streetrat from Kasuto winked. "If you want to make it out of here alive I'd advise you to follow me."

She jolted forward, tearing down the cobblestone, and Link followed closely behind. The streets were filled with people, but the girl kept up a blistering pace as they dove down alleyways and dodged fountains. Every time Link passed an election poster it blared red and started wailing, splitting the night with its sirens.

"You know this kid?" Kindel asked, clutching the edges of the mudguard for dear life.

"We met a while ago in Kasuto Town. Come on, super spy, you didn't see that? She was the one who tipped me off about the Resistance in the first place." Link replied, bending low over the handlebars as they passed through an alley decorated with laundry lines. Kindel ducked to avoid becoming enveloped by a massive pair of bloomers.

"You really know how to pick 'em."

The motorcycle lurched forward as the girl plunged down a steep set of steps leading to a large plaza. It was all Link could do to keep Epona upright as they rumbled down the stairs, with people dodging left and right to avoid being crushed by the motorcycle's tires. Halfway through the plaza the girl wheeled around, stamping a foot down to slow her ride.

"Well, this isn't good." She spat, pointing to three other streets that led to their location.

From the shadows three sleek vehicles slid into view, the low purr of an engine mingling with the chatter of gunfire in the distance. Smooth plates of metal folded over the sides, forming crisp lines that revealed a mass of well-oiled machinery beneath. Three sets of headlights fixed on Link and the streetrat girl, and three riders bent forward, prepared to pursue them. Their faces were disguised by motorcycle helmets, but Link knew their rides were too slick to waste on Bokoblins.

"Special forces. Part of Ganondorf's army." The girl supplied. "Bunch of pricks. Follow me!"

As if in response the motorcycle's purrs turned to deafening roars and they leaped forward like bullets, tearing up the cobblestones as they rocketed towards Link. Frantically he tugged Epona around and accelerated as quickly as he could, screaming into an alley after the girl. They were no match for the expensive, souped-up motorcycles their pursuers were riding... How would they escape this one?

"Take a left." Kindel barked suddenly, and Link veered to the side. Epona nearly collided with an orange stand and Link pulled away just in time, leaving the vendor in the dust as he shook his fist at them.

"We just lost her!"

"Not quite!" Kindel replied, then pointed dramatically to his side. "Left again!"

The steady roar of the engines were becoming louder and Link pushed the motorcycle faster, the road blurring beneath his feet. "Whatever you're planning, Kindel, do it now!"

"Sharp right!"

Link yanked at the handlebars with all of his strength, pulling Epona behind a massive fountain as the motorcycle behind them drove up a short flight of stairs and leaped into the air, tires spinning, and crashed into the stone fixture. Quickly Link pulled away as debris rained down on the street. The motorcycle was a twisted mass of mangled metal an inch deep in the scummy fountain water, and its rider was collapsed on top of a decapitated golden goddess.

"Nice one." Link admitted, and Kindel puffed out his chest.

"That's what we super-spies are for. Come on, you're going to lose her!"

At the other end of the alley a blur shot by – Link caught a glimpse of dark hair – and he took off after the girl. When he pulled out of the alley the black motorcycle duo was nearly close enough to touch, directly behind him. Kindel yelped with surprise and Link forced Epona faster until they were nearly caught up with the girl, leaving a trail of dust in their wake.

The alley opened up to a wide street, flanked by shops and crammed with traffic. Without a second thought the girl pulled into the street, charging down the wrong side of the road as she straddled the edge of the street. Link wondered for a moment why she would make such a desperate move, then looked over his shoulder and realized why.

Two hulking vans peeled out of the street and charged after them, armor-plated and furbished with an archer poking out of the moonroof, each readying a shot. The first arrow pinged off of a car windshield and clattered to the street, too close for comfort. _Gangstadorf isn't messing around._

One of the motorcycles leaped forwards, its front wheel lifting until it barely skimmed the asphalt, and pulled up aside Link. Its rider jammed an elbow into Link's ribs, and Link swerved to the side until Epona's wheel ground against the side of a car. The motorcycle rider struck out again, this time at Link's handlebars, and Epona shuddered from the blow.

Lashing out, Link kicked his attacker in the side and then the shoulder, forcing him away. Kindel supplied a constant stream of war cries and insults, balancing precariously on the mudguard as Epona swerved back and forth. Link's elbow cracked against the motorcycle rider's helmet with enough force to snap his head to the side, then followed it with a blow to the chest. Winded and stunned, he toppled from his seat and rolled to the side of the road. Link latched a hand on the sleek motorcycle's handlebars, trying to pull it along after them as it shuddered and wove back and forth.

"Kindel, take the wheel!"

" _What?"_

"Just do it!"

Kindel clambered around the engine and pulled himself onto the seat, barely able to reach the handlebars on tiptoe. Link slid himself backwards on Epona's seat and fixed Kindel with a glare.

"Break it and I break you." He gestured to Epona and Kindel responded with a firm nod. In one motion Link leaped from Epona and onto the black motorcycle, the force from his jump nearly knocking the bike to the ground. He righted himself and looked over his shoulder, where the third motorcycle rider was approaching quickly.

"Baddie Number Three incoming!" Kindel announced, feebly attempting to keep Epona on a straight course. He nearly careened into an eighteen-wheeler, and a horn blared after them as Kindel tugged Epona out of the way of traffic. The street had widened into a highway as Clock Town slowly fell away behind them.

Link lurched in his seat as the third motorcycle slammed into his back tire, forcing him forward. A sharp whining sounded from the wheels and the acrid smell of burning rubber filled Link's nose as he was slowly pushed to the edge of this road.

"Bridge!" Kindel announced, waving to get Link's attention and nearly killing himself in the process. Sure enough, the thin metal barrier was the only thing protecting Link from falling to his doom – which the biker behind him seemed intent on him doing. Link's front hubcap scraped against the barrier as the ground plunged away.

"Kindel, get in front of me!" Kindel didn't respond this time, accelerating and pulling in front of Link's motorcycle so the three bikes lined up behind each other. The rear bike pulled forward, jolting Link into the handlebars, and he raised himself so that he knelt on the motorcycle's seat. The sleek bike wobbled dangerously beneath him, and he fought to keep his balance on the narrow seat. The motorcycle might look fancy, but it would wreck without a problem if he ran it off the road.

Slowly Link rose onto his feet, so that he was squatting on top of the motorcycle's seat. He scooted forward inch by inch until his toes hung over the edge of the seat. Kindel slowed Epona until it was only a foot away from Link's motorcycle. Link prepared to jump, tensed and ready...

The third motorcycle slammed forcefully into Link's shaking the already unsteady bike. Biting back a curse, Link reigned his motorcycle back under control and prepared to jump again. The third motorcycle continued to ram its tire into Link's, but his focus remained solely on Epona.

In a flying leap he cleared the handlebars and flew over the gap between the two bikes. Kindel scampered back onto the mudguard as Link vaulted back onto his motorcycle. He landed with a _thud_ and latched his hands onto the handlebars, controlling the bike as it swerved back and forth with the sudden change of weight.

Behind him the second bike slowed to a stop and tumbled to its side, the screech of metal sounding as it rolled over an over before screaming to a stop. The third biker was unable to avoid the second bike and slammed into the mass of metal, flipping over and skidding across the road in a tangle with the other motorcycle.

An explosion rocked the street and heat seared at Link's back as he accelerated to catch up with the streetrat girl, the flickering flames and belching smoke broiling behind him.

Gangstadorf's forces weren't done, though, as the two massive vans pulled up behind Link like looming shadows. Kindel groaned loudly and rolled his eyes.

"These guys don't know when to quit, do they? Have you got any of those motorcycles handy?"

"Unless you fancy hitchhiking to those volcanoes I'm going to say no." Link twisted his wrist back and Epona sped forward, but the two vans remained in hot pursuit. Link glanced back to see the closest driver snarling as he stomped on the gas, bearing down quickly on Epona and its riders.

"How are we going to get these goons off of our tail?" Kindel peeked around the side of the motorcycle and made a face at the drivers behind them.

"I think I might have an idea. Mind taking the wheel again?"

Kindel's eyes widened with horror and he shook his head vigorously. "Oh no! No way. I am _never_ doing that again! First flying on Loftwings, and now driving?"

As Kindel climbed back onto the handlebars, grumbling all the while, Link pivoted and crouched on the seat. Vibrations throbbed up his feet as the motorcycle roared over the highway. Choruses of honking horns echoed after Link as the vans shoved traffic aside, too wide to occupy the narrow border of the road the motorcycles could fit into.

The driver of the first van's jaw dropped as Link swung his arms forward and threw himself onto the hood of the van, hands scrabbling for something to hold onto as he slowly slid down over the grill. He snatched the van's hood ornament, a minimalistic Zora-like creature, and clung for dear life as the van driver regained his senses and started to swerve back and forth. It was all Link could do to keep his grip as the van nearly swung into oncoming traffic, scraping against the sides of cars as it wove left and right.

Link found a foothold on the bottom of the car and shoved himself forward, over the grill and spead-eagled on top of the hood. The eyes of the driver dilated with panic as Link got onto his knees and he slammed on the brakes, the second van colliding with his bumper in a crunch of metal. The jolt nearly hurled Link into the windshield and he dodged a windshield-wiper attack, raising the Master Sword above his head and plunging it into the vehicle's engine.

The van gave a dying moan and belched steam from the fissure the Master Sword had left behind. The van's driver screamed shrilly as the wheel was tugged out of his control, and Link realized the van was reeling towards the edge of the bridge. He ran up the slope of the windshield and across the length of the van as it punched through the median, leaping from the falling van onto the top of the second. The second van swerved away from the collision as the first van plummeted through the flimsy barrier and spiraled to the bottom of the gorge.

Link allowed himself a second to catch his breath before launching himself forward again, sliding down the second van's windshield and disabling it in the same way he did the first. He jumped clear of the van, rolling onto the asphalt as the van turned into traffic and slammed into a car, shoving it backwards and into the median. A chorus of honking horns, screeching tires and crumpling metal followed it.

Kindel had pulled over to observe the carnage, and Link limped back to Epona while the Korok applauded. "I'll give you this, Hero, you really know how to shake tailgaters."

"Get up and let me drive." Link retorted, placing Kindel on the mudguard and urging Epona forward. The last thing they needed was for the police to catch sight of them, or for someone to take a picture. As they drove away the acrid stench of smoke and gasoline faded into the distance, and soon the highway was completely deserted. Link took this opportunity to get on the right side of the road.

The streetrat girl had paused on the shoulder of the road, giving Link a snappy salute as he drove over. "This is where I leave you, I guess." She gave Link a wry grin and shook his hand. "I never thought I would be saying this to the likes of you, but... Thank you."

With a solemn nod she peeled off back in the direction of Clock Town, leaving a streak of rubber behind on the pavement as she left. Turning to the road, Link kicked off and quickly accelerated beyond the crawling traffic, leaving the wreckage of the chase behind.

"Can I ask how you, a senile old Korok, got into the records of the Resistance and single-handedly found the location of the next silent realm?" Link asked, and Kindel puffed out his chest proudly.

"I guess I'll just ignore that first comment. It's a great story, actually. I managed to seduce the records lady with my rampant charm – and maybe a smidge of magic. I think those ninja librarians work for the Resistance, their records room is crazy organized. I just hacked into the database – with a smidge of magic – and found what I needed. And there you have it. Subrosian Volcanoes."

Link shook his head slowly. "You 'hacked' into the Resistance just like that?"

"Korok magic is mystical and inexplicable."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, man. By hacked you mean 'I broke down a door with my mighty Korok muscles,' right?"

Kindel's silence was all too telling as they drove into the night, angled towards the rising mountains of the Subrosian Volcanoes, scraping the sky in the distance.

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 **Until next time! :)**

 **P.S. Sue me for naming this chapter after a Pierce Brosnan Bond movie. We all know Connery's the best.**


	44. Eldin Peak

**If I see the words "demand curve" or "opportunity cost" again I'm going to go ballistic. I mean, hi! Welcome back to Remnants!**

 **(me, with the dramatic swish of a cape): Read on!**

Of course it was a volcano.

That was Link's first thought when he caught sight of the Subrosian Volcanoes rising on the horizon, smoke mingling with low-hanging clouds and they punched their way like pillars into the heavens. When Kindel had said 'volcanoes' he had thought of happy little mountains with smiley faces carved into them. Maybe a little lava if he was feeling adventurous.

But he certainly didn't expect the mammoth mountains that thrust through the earth, forming a row of sentinels that barred him from his destination. Trails of steam snaked their way into the atmosphere, an acrid black that blended with the lightening sky. The tallest thing Link had ever seen in his life was the Castle Skyscraper, or maybe the Forest Temple. But this? This was monumental n a scale he could barely fathom.

"Um... Wow." He caught himself staring and veered back onto the right side of the road.

"Can I quote you on that? I can see the headlines now: _Um, Wow: The Hero of Time Speaks._ "

Rolling his eyes, Lin steered Epona over a pothole just to spite Kindel. "Forgive me for commenting on the largest _volcano_ I've ever seen in my life. This is pretty amazing."

The Korok righted himself on the mudguard and tossed Link a blistering glare. "Volcanoes _and_ hot springs, for your information."

"Get yourself a silent realm that can do both."

It soon became evident, though, that the road wasn't going to be any help in reaching the top of the massive volcanoes. Kindel pointed out the tallest peak, wisps of smoke curling from its surface. The red rock jutted higher than any other mountains in the range, dwarfing the nearby cliffs. The road twisted to the left and entered a tunnel that burrowed into the mountains, yet provided no way to get _up_ them.

"We do have to go up, right?"

"Sure thing. Top of the highest mountain, Eldin Peak. What are trials from the goddesses for?" Kindel flashed Link a grin.

"Well, no problem, then. Just zap us with your Korok magic and we'll be at the top in no time." Pulling to the side of the road, Link disembarked from Epona and surveyed the mountains with renewed interest. Kindel appeared more skeptical.

"As much as I would love to zap you with my Korok magic, no can do. I can get myself to the top no problem, but you're... How do I say this? Your unfortunate girth prevents me."

If Link had a rupee for every time he was tempted to turn Kindel into Forest Haven Brand mulch, he would be richer than Gangstadorf. "Good thing I have this, then." Reaching into Zelda's pouch, he pulled out the Deku Leaf. "I'm no genius, but there's go to be some science with air resistance and stuff, right?"

"I wish that were so. Can't help you, Hero."

Sighing, Link observed the steep cliff face with a sick feeling in his stomach. "We're roughing it, then?"

"Correction: _you're_ roughing it. See you at the top." With a sickly saccharine grin Kindel patted Link's boot and hovered over his head to the top of the cliff in mere seconds, zipping out of sight.

Spitting out a string of curses, Link turned to the cliff face and fit his hands into indents in the rock. It was going to be a long climb.

By the time he saw Kindel again he was sorer than should be possible. Every inch of his body ached, and he was coated in red rock dust from head to toe. Sweat trailed down his face and his fingers were peppered with cuts and bruises from particularly sharp outcroppings. He was exhausted and his shoulder was screaming from when he had dangled from the cliff by one hand.

Kindel was lounging on a nearby rock, his features a smug mask of pretentiousness. Link nearly slapped the smirk off of the Korok's face when he approached him. "You look a little worse for wear. We have to work on your rock climbing skills."

"If I wasn't so tired I would kill you." Link groaned, sitting heavily on the top of the cliff and dangling his feet over the edge.

"Where's that righteousness brimming inside of you? I think your time would be better spent feeding forest creatures strawberries or something. Certainly not killing innocent Koroks!" He finished quickly, noticing the murderous glint in Link's eyes.

"So what now?" Link turned to see Eldin Peak looking no closer to him than it had from the ground. "It's going to take a year to get up there."

"That'll be a struggle for you, seeing as you have the patience and attention span of a squirrel. No, wait, more like a cricket. Or am I being too easy on you?"

Kindel's head swiveled, observing his surroundings. "Hey, check it out."

"Yeah, more huge rocks I have to climb. I noticed."

The Korok shook his head, pointing a finger at a cone-shaped rock formation. "No, look. I think something just _moved._ "

Link caught sight of a puff of white and focused on the strange rock. "As much as it pains me to say this, I think you're right. What is that?"

Rubbing his hands together, Kindel smiled with a maniacal glint in his eyes. "My bet's on poison gas. Poison gas is epic."

"Of course you would say that. Go touch it." Link jabbed his thumb at the rock, where another burst of white wisped through the air.

"No way! Poison gas can strip your skin from your bones in mere seconds! You'd be turned into a puddle of brain matter and plasma in no time!" Kindel retorted.

"I don't know if you've noticed, but you're not exactly made of skin and bone."

Kindel looked down for a second. "Ah. Right. Well, here goes." He scampered up a small cluster of rocks to reach the top of the rock. As he approached another jet of steam erupted from the rock, causing the Korok to flinch. Finally, leaning forward with delicate balance, one twig-like hand clutching a twisting stone for dear life, Kindel reached his arm out and waved it over the smoke.

The reaction was, unfortnately, free of skin-melting and dissolving into brain matter and plasma. Looking disappointed himself, Kindel turned to Link and gave him a one-shouldered shrug. "It's just air."

Even in his fully exhausted and dazed state, a ridiculous plan came to Link's mind. "You're not going to like this, Kindel, but I have a plan."

Groaning loudly, Kindel shimmied his way down the rock formation and back onto the cliff. "Well, I sure am glad I can just hurl myself over this precipice and get it over with while I can. Your plans are just the worst."

"Are you kidding? I thought the jumping from van to van back in Clock Town was pretty amazing." Reaching into the pouch, Link withdrew the large Deku Leaf. The green leaf was buffeted by the swift winds of the cliff. Kindel's eyes narrowed, trying to find out Link's angle.

"Last time we used these to go down. Now let's use them to go _up._ " Grasping the stem of the leaf in one hand and the tip in the other, Link held the leaf above his head. Kindel shook his head vigorously, standing his ground.

"Oh, no. No way. Loftwings were one thing. Then motorcycles. And now you want to make me death hang-gliding? No way, Hero. Count me out of this one."

Grinning, Link tossed Kindel onto his shoulder. "You don't get that choice," He replied, then raise the leaf over the jet of steam.

Immediately they were whisked into the air, the ground fading fast beneath their feet as the wind pushed them up higher and higher. Kindel screeched shrilly in Link's ears as they rocketed higher, propelled by the steam. The cliff receded in Link's vision, dwarfed by the mountains that stabbed their way up from the earth beneath Link's feet. The pressure on the leaf began to slacken and he swung his weight to the right, aiming for a small platform shape on the side of one of the mountains. Thankfully the range had a variety of flat surfaced for him to land on – getting there would be the problem.

As they drifted lower winds tousled the Deku Leaf, continually blowing them slightly off-course. This, combined with Kindel's steely grip on Link's shoulder, made for a difficult time maneuvering. Angling his legs to the side, Link prepared to touch down on one of the ledges.

The Deku Leaf was fluttering down slowly when a draft caught Link in the back and sent him into the side of the mountain. Scrambling for control, he pushed his boots forward against the rock. The leaf lost its lift and collapsed, sending Link and Kindel into a twenty-foot free-fall.

Korok screaming mingled with the sound of the wind as they dropped, with Link desperately trying to unfurl the Deku Leaf and get them in the air again. At the last second their descent slowed to a stop. Opening his eyes, Link realized he was hovering about an inch above the ground. Kindel's face was twisted with concentration – or maybe crippling fear. They were slowly lowered to the ground as Kindel's magic wore off.

"You can say it."

"I told you so." Kindel groused, glaring at the mountains around them. "We're never going to get to the sacred flame with these winds."

Brushing off the Deku Leaf, Link nodded. "Can't you control the winds, O Noble Super-Spy? The Hero of Time and the Hero of Winds, we'd make a nice duo. I guess Hero of Winds isn't exactly fear-inspiring. 'Not my pinwheels!'"

"Okay, point made. There's another ledge up there." The ledge they stood on receded to a deep, craggy valley. Its sides rose sharply to form another tall peak. Kindel pointed to a space about halfway up the side of the mountain, where the incline lessened to form a small area large enough to stand on. "Then we'll work our way to Eldin Peak."

Link turned left to observe their destination. The mountain across the way seemed insignificant compared to the sheer size of Eldin Peak. Its sloping sides were riddled with boulders, jutting rocks and what appeared to be caves, speckling the rock like pockmarks. The earth seemed to be swelling in one magnificent flame for the sky, with slag thrusting itself from the sides of the mountain in every possible direction. It would be a long way up, and Link wondered to himself if the top of Eldin Peak was as high in the air as Skyloft.

He readied the Deku Leaf while Kindel scrambled to his perch, muttering all the while. Once both were properly situated Link searched the ledge for any of the strange vents he had seen before. Sure enough, another strangely shaped rock spouted steam nearby, and in moments they were in the air again. The experience was as exhilarating as before, the world spiraling until it looked toy-sized beneath Link's feet. Wind whipped at his hair and clothes, the fabric snapping back and forth. Carefully Link leaned to the side, using his hands to adjust the Deku Leaf. With subtle shifts of his makeshift parachute, he could change the direction of his propulsion. The ledge unfolded before them and Link carefully maneuvered his way down, releasing a breath of relief when his feet touched the ground again. Kindel swung around to Link's other shoulder and peered at the mountain range before them.

"Okay, I have a plan."

"For the record, your plans are stellar and mine are pitiful, pathetic excuses for ideas?" Link retaliated, crossing his arms.

"For the record, yes. Look, I don't see any more landing sites on the next mountain, and it's a huge jump in altitude from what we just did back there."

He was right – the next set of mountains, including Eldin Peak, soared above their tiny ledge. They also seemed steeper and much more imposing. Scouring the side of the range, Link strained to see any safe place to land, but the next mountain was full of jagged edges and patches of precariously balanced boulders. One misstep would set off a chain reaction of rockslides.

"All right, I'll bite. What's the plan?"

"See that up there?" Kindel pointed to the apex of the mountain, which seemed to be blending with the clouds. "That, my friend, is a windmill."

"A windmill?"

"You've never seen a windmill before? I would have thought with the whole pinwheel thing –"

"Kindel, I know what a windmill is."

"Ah. Right. Well, there's one of them on top of the mountain." Link squinted to see the faint outline of churning blades spinning in a circle. The shape was very far away, but Kindel was right. "I'd bet you all of our money that windmill connects to something."

A memory stirred in Link's mind of the temple in the swamp. "I've seen something like that before. It powered a cable car that got Zelda and I to the opposite side of a chasm. You think there's a cable car up there?"

Kindel frowned, tapping a finger to his temple in thought. "There's only one way to find out, is there?"

After another gust of wind they were up in the air again, headed for the next mountain. Link immediately realized that the winds were much more turbulent the higher they climbed, and it was all he could do to keep the Deku Leaf clutched in his hands. Kindel snatched a fistful of his hair and clutched it tightly, causing Link to pull away and drift off-course. Soon the mountain was rising all too quickly below them, and they were nowhere near the peak. Dread clawed at Link's stomach as they started to plummet back to the earth, where dagger-like stones awaited them...

"Left!" Kindel screamed, and Link shifted the Deku Leaf in his hands. A faint wind pushed them further to the side and Link looked down just in time to see them hovering over another vent.

Steam billowed below him as a gust forced them higher in the air, leaving Link's stomach a hundred feet below. The mountain swept lower as they ascended, propelled by the steam. Chilled drafts ripped past, tearing at the Deku Leaf with alarming force. Kindel wobbled on Link's shoulder, then reinforced his grip by nearly tearing out Link's hair. Focusing now on the ground, Link's eyes darted over the side of the mountain, searching for another vent.

 _There!_ Swerving to the right, Link tugged the Deku Leaf to the side sharply, barely managing to clear the vent in time. Kindel wobbled again, thrown off-balance by the jerking motion and the updraft. The word shrank again, fading below a thin haze of clouds as Link rocketed higher and higher. Swinging his legs forward, he twisted the Deku Leaf in the direction of the mountain's peak. To his surprise, the top of the mountain had been cleanly leveled, as if some giant god had sliced off the tip with a knife. On this clearing stood the windmill, just as Kindel had hypothesized. It looked a little worse for wear, with rotting wooden siding and peeling whitewash, but its blades were turning with a steady rhythm.

The Deku Leaf brought them slightly short of the clearing, but Link managed a slightly awkward landing on the slope of the mountain. Rocks skittered beneath his feet as he slid down a few paces, then caught himself on a pile of larger rocks. Kindel tumbled from his shoulders, landing roughly on a particularly large rock. He cast Link a scorching glare.

"You couldn't hit, oh, I don't know, the platform? You know, the one two feet from here?"

Link was starting to get tired of Kindel's backseat driving - or rather, flying. "Maybe you try flying this thing. I'd like to see that."

A sour silence ensued, and Link took the opportunity to climb up the mountain and onto the flat surface of the platform. The air was significantly colder at such a high altitude, and he shoved his hands in his pockets to warm them.

The windmill wasn't particularly large, but it seemed imposing against the serene backdrop of the cloudy sky and undulating mountain ranges. With one hand on the hilt of the Master Sword, Link tried the doorknob of the windmill. Much to his surprise, the lock clicked open and the door swung back to reveal the inside of the structure, dimmed and webbed in shadow.

Beam circled the innards of the windmill like ribs, framing the warped walls and faded paint. Inside of the windmill ladders stretched up the walls, reaching the higher floors. From the outside the windmill didn't seem to be very tall, but Link realized it reached up multiple stories.

Out of curiosity, he tested one of the ladder's rungs. It held under his weight and he quickly ascended, brushing away cobwebs as he went. A faint pinging below him alerted him that Kindel was following closely behind.

An enormous gear filled the second floor, offset by a wooden circular device and store cases stacked up by the walls. One of the cases had rotten through and collapsed, spilling its contents across the floor. Fine white flour indented beneath Link's boots like sand as he walked, leaving footprints with every step. The gear spun slowly, methodically, the beating pulse of the windmill humming beneath Link's feet.

The next two floors were similar to the first, full of storage bins that had long since been looted by insects and rats. The last floor, though, took Link's breath away.

Rotating gear trains and poles rotated back and forth in a glut of complex machinery, in perfect synchronization with the churning blades outside. Sunlight filtered in through a doorway that led to the windmill's blades, casting the room into darkness whenever the shutters passed over the door. Link nudged a shattered lantern with the toe of his boot, pushing aside generations-old clutter to reach the inside of the mill.

Every piece fit into the next perfectly, like a serpent coiled to strike. As Link watched a wooden cog spun around the length of the gears, interlocking with an upright gear that led to the blades of the windmill. More gears seemed to erupt from the ground, with patches of floorboards uprooted to make room for the metal. A long pole broke away from the main cluster of machinery, spinning almost lethargically. Link looked up to see a fan-looking structure jutting from the windmill almost like a tail.

"This is awesome." He gawked at the metal spinning into itself, weaving together in one complex tool. He skirted the gears and cables, working his way to the small door. A wooden ledge had been constructed, its width beneath the rotating blades of the mill. Keeping close to the wall, Link edged his way out of the windmill and onto the platform, staring openly at the sight before him.

The view was breathtaking, thin rays of sunlight angling off of the mountain peaks. Eldin Peak stretched even higher than the windmill, casting long shadows and cloaking the other ranges in darkness. Its beauty was like ice, coldly intimidating and deadly, yet somehow remarkable.

"I suppose you didn't notice this?" Kindel's ever-sardonic voice sounded from Link's ankle.

"Do you exist solely to kill the moment?"

The Korok pointed above his head to a strange jumble of nails, bolts and cable. The cable twisted around a carved piece of wood, which had been bolted and fastened to the wall of the windmill firmly. The cable shined in the light. It was thicker than any Link had ever seen and could probably hold his weight a hundredfold.

"Check this out." With a brief incantation of Korok magic, Kindel levitated himself up and flipped a small switch near the bolted wood. A groan of metal echoed from the windmill, then the cable started to move, pulling itself out from its hold on the wood. A second stretch of cable would itself back into the wooden shape, making a cycle.

Kindel surveyed his handiwork with pride. "What do you think it is?"

A grin crossed Link's face. "It's a zipline."

Paling, Kindel took a step back. "Loftwings I can handle. Motorcycles, sure. Even Deku Leaves, free-falling onto giant mountains. Sure, why not? But dangling from a rope with only my arm strength to keep me alive? No, thank you."

Link was already moving, pulling the Hookshot out of the pouch. The claws of the glove clenched the cable tightly, with enough slack to move freely along the metal. Once both of the Hookshots had been attached to the chain Link strapped them to his arms tightly. If his hands were to slip loose during the ride both he and Kindel would be skydiving without a parachute.

"Where's my Hookshot? Do I just balance on top of the chain and walk my way to the other side?"

Link pointed to the cable, watching as it faded into oblivion beneath a mask of clouds. "See how the cable's angled upwards? That switch you flipped will pull us up to the top of Eldin Peak."

"So a reverse-zipline, that pulls you _up_ to you death. Charming."

Buckling the final strap on the Hookshot, Link nodded his head to Kindel. "Well, what are you waiting for? Hitch a ride."

Growling darkly to himself, Kindel scrambled up to Link's shoulder and clenched his shirt collar so tightly the wrinkles would never come out. Pivoting around, Link reached up with his foot and flicked the switch beside the pulley. With a shuddering moan the chain ground to a start, and Link was pulled from the platform until he was dangling over the massive fall to the mountains. He forced his eyes to the top of the mountain, where the chain wavered and swung in the breeze. Already Link's arms were burning with the pressure of holding himself up, and it looked like it was going to be a long ride.

"Oh Hylia. Oh Hylia. Oh Hylia." Kindel chanted to himself. Link turned to see his eyes squeezed shut, mouth drawn in a thin line.

"Hey Kindel, I just remembered something." Link replied absently, trying to keep the Korok's mind off of the giant drop beneath them. Partly to keep his mind off of the giant drop as well.

"You're capable of thought? I would never have guessed." Kindel snapped, fastening his fingers tightly around Link's shirt.

"The machinery in the windmill – I thought it would be old and rusted like the windmill was. But it looked clean. Like someone had been maintaining it."

Kindel was silent for a moment, probably marveling at the fact that Link was capable of speech. Moments later his fists tightened on Link's shirt and his eyes snapped open with a gasp. "Oh Hylia. We're not alone."

And with this announcement the first of the rocks started falling from the sky.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the National Aeronautics Association of Aviation, because Kindel would make a stellar pilot. Obviously. And haven't we all wanted to go Red Baron in the wild blue yonder every once and a while?**

 **Sidenote but THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your support! Every review, follow and favorite blows me away, really. Please don't forget to include a fic you've written in your review, because I'd seriously love to read it. *virtual fist-bump, complete with explosion at the end***

 **Thanks as always and until next time! :)**


	45. Braving the Elements

**Hello, my aggregate demand curves. Like the velocity of money, I am consistent over time in updating on Friday.**

 ***beats away economics with a hat* Welcome back! The suspense is mounting, read on!**

The massive projectile passed inches from Link's face, a glowing chunk of half-molten rock, still steaming and burning red with heat. It passed by with a whistle, crashing into the side of the mountain range with a deafening clatter that Link could hear from his height.

Risking a glance down, Link saw a multitude of wooden structures reaching back, long beams bending over backward to hurl another cluster of burning boulders at him. The catapults were loaded in an instant, enormous hunks of rock dripping with melted stone rolling into large receptacles at the tip of the structures. With a snap of rope, the catapults hurled their loads forward, and seven rock missiles took to the skies, scattering all around Link and Kindel as they were slowly winched to the top of Eldin Peak.

"Who are they?" Link yelled, drawing up his legs as a particularly large stone whizzed beneath his boots. "Why are they attacking us?"

"Don't ask me!" Kindel screeched, near hysterics as he bunched the fabric of Link's shirt in both hands, clinging on for dear life. "You just hold on to your Hookshots and don't get us killed!"

Taking a deep breath, Link forced himself to stay calm. It was slightly difficult while unknown assailants were hurling melting boulders at his face. "Okay, mountains. What do we know about mountains? Who lives in mountains? Gorons, um, those fiery bat things... Have any other contributions?"

Kindel was petrified on Link's shoulder, frozen with fear. Swinging to the side, Link hurled his weight away as another boulder rocketed past that would have easily taken off his legs.

Despite their dire situation, the chain continued to amble along leisurely, pulling the Hookshots up the zipline in its sweet time. This did no favors for Link's arms or his life in general, which seemed fit to end at any second from blunt-force trauma of a catapulted rock. Suddenly an idea struck him and he twisted to face Kindel, causing the chain to jump and whine.

"In the pouch! The shield!"

"What?" Kindel yelped.

"In Zelda's pouch! We got a shield at the Forest Temple, when I might have time traveled. Does that make me an old-timer like you?"

" _How can you be joking in a time like this?_ "

"Now you know how I feel." Link growled, trying to reign Kindel back to his senses. "Look, Kindel, just climb down and get the shield. Zelda's pouch is tied to my waist. Reach in and grab the shield."

"How will I hold it? How will I climb down your person while suspended above a certainly deadly drop? Do I tie it around your neck or something?"

"You're never going to hear the end of this, you know." Link grinned as Kindel hemmed and hawed, his smile fading as a rock drifted so close to his leg it tousled the fabric of his pants. "Why don't you use your, I don't know, Korok magic?"

"Magic, right. Magic. Korok magic. Right." Spitting out a string of incomprehensible words and sounds, Kindel waved an arm around Link's face. Link looked down and saw the drawstrings of Zelda's pouch release, leaving a yawning black hole between the two sides of the fabric. From the pouch the shield levitated higher inch by inch, gradually maximizing its size from its smaller form inside the patch. Soon the metal had expanded until it shielded Link's torso and upper legs. He flinched when a resounding crash sounded from the other side of the shield as one of the projectiles hit its mark, causing the shield to shudder at its bindings.

"How close are we?" Kindel cried, and the shield wobbled before he resumed his incanting. Link peered around the side of the shield, which was steaming from its contact with the molten stone.

"Not too far now, we're getting closer to the mountain." Link replied, his stomach dropping when he saw the impressive array of catapults and cannon set into the side of the mountain. They were loaded like magic, too quickly to be natural, as bursts of rock flew like shrapnel around the cable. The closer Link and Kindel rode to the mountain, the more accurate the shots became, and soon Link's shield was quaking with the impact. Fragments of rock cut across Link's face and forearms, thrown from the shattered rocks when they collided with the shield. Link knew it had to be magical from the damage it had sustained – no normal metal shield would have been able to hold up under intense fire from lava rocks.

At long last Link passed over the catapults as the cable drew him slowly nearer to the top of the mountaintop. As impressive as the Eldin Peak's defenses were, its catapults seemed to be unable to turn around. The lack or crashing rocks provided a blissful silence, and Kindel slipped the shield back into Zelda's pouch once the coast was clear.

Soon the top of the mountain became visible, half-shrouded in a whirlwind of misty clouds and fog. Link could make out the vague outline of a building at the peak, but nothing beyond that. Kindel sagged with relief on Link's shoulder, leaning forward to see their destination.

"What's that up there?" The Korok asked, squinting into the distance. His panic seemed to have dissipated as the slope of the mountain rose beneath their feet steadily. "Another windmill?"

Soon it became obvious that the structure was not a windmill, but in fact something much larger. A line of columns emerged from the fog, chipped and collapsed with age. Stumpy trees and dried-up vines clawed their way up the stone, working into cracks and snarling into thick ropes. The peak had been roughly leveled, with patches of rock climbing higher and dipping lower than the collapsed structure. The cable continued to drag Link and Kindel through the ruins, an eerie silence spreading over the land.

Half-collapsed walls crumbled into piles of carved marble, bits of banisters and ornamental carvings scattering down staircases. Enormous iron doors leaned against rusted hinges, propped haphazardly against caving beams. Link looked up to see a punctured dome high above the ruins, a yawning hole punched through the plaster. Flakes of frescoes and time-lightened decorations peeled from the inside of the dome, stained with mildew and creeping moss.

The cable winched Link and Kindel through the hole in the dome, with Link's boots dangling inches over the crumbling stone. The inside of the dome stretched beneath them, shadows stretching across the expanse of cracked cobblestone. Columns similar to the ones outside rose to the ceiling of the dome, in significantly better repair. Carved emblems traced their way to the ceiling of the temple, creating rich textures as they wove upwards. Archways supported the large walls, rising gracefully in uniform curves.

"What is this place?" Link whispered, unable to bring his voice up. The ruins seemed reverent in some way, a peace he didn't want to disturb.

"It looks like some kind of temple. To Din, maybe? It is Eldin Peak." Kindel surmised. "Look, this is our stop." The cable was attached to a far wall of the temple, latched in an intricate jumble of metal and coiled cable. A small motor hummed behind the contraption, lurching to a stop when Link and Kindel hovered above a small platform. Link flexed his hands inside the Hookshots and the barbs released their grip on the cable. Rubbing his sore arms, Link turned in a slow circle, observing the temple with wonder. A breathtaking silence hung over the grounds as mist curled behind corners, shafts of light dappling the floor and walls in mystical sunset red.

"Whoa. What happened here?" Kindel gawked at the ruins. Link followed his stares to the blackened stone charred by fire.

"Your information from the Resistance said the silent realm was here?" He asked disbelievingly. When they had reached the coast Link had felt a sort of force guiding him to the water. But these ruins, interesting as they were, seemed to lack that connection. He wandered down from the platform and around a particularly large column, which had been concealing a magnificent sight behind it.

Shards of scarlet crystal studded the ground in a circle, sharp and gleaming in the rays of sunlight. Some were enormous, fractals of reflections echoed in their surfaces hundredfold, which some were small enough to fit into Link's palm. The crystal glowed with an ethereal light, scattering a reddish glow around the circumference of the broken stone. Set into the floor was a narrow staircase, plunging into darkness. Gingerly Link walked over to the staircase, careful to avoid stepping on the pointed crystal fragments, and peered down into the darkness. He reached a hand into Zelda's pouch and rummaged around for a moment before pulling out a flashlight. The beam illuminated a narrow section of the staircase, highlighting the deep shadows and darkness surrounding the passageway.

"We're going down there?" Kindel squeaked, watching the staircase with apprehension.

"First the mountain and now this – you deserve some retirement time, old man." Link nudged Kindel with his boot, earning him a sharp kick in return. "I'll lead."

The first flight of stairs was speckled with the strange crimson crystal, so Link and Kindel picked their way down before the floor of the ruins swept over their heads. The bulb of the flashlight seemed worryingly low as they traversed deeper and deeper into the darkness. The walls became slick with moisture, the faint trickle of water compounding to a roar as Link and Kindel plunged further and further down. Soon the staircase opened into a wide atrium, glimmering with blue light.

The scene took Link's breath away. Colored tiles refracted every color of light from the surface of an enormous pool, encrusting the walls in an array of deep reds and muted purples. Only a small semicircle of ground stood above the sunken pool, which glittered like molten glass. From pipes in the wall water poured into the pool, with lapping rings spreading throughout the water.

As beautiful as the atrium was, Link scanned it for anything that seemed hostile. The same air of magic floated in this room as well as the ruins, and his gut instinct was screaming at him to stay on guard.

"This just gets stranger and stranger." Kindel muttered, reaching out a hand to touch the water. It rippled with contact, but didn't react in any unusual way. Kneeling beside Kindel, Link stretched out his hand as well. A rushing thundered near the back of the atrium, and he looked up sharply to see an enormous wave crashing towards him, the surf stretching and warping to form a shape that looked strangely like a _hand._ Scrambling backwards, Link attempted to run back to the staircase, but the water latched around his ankle and dragged him underneath the waves with a percussive splash.

Currents of water coiled around Link's legs, dragging him deeper into the atrium's pool. The water had distorted the depth of the pool from above, and Link witnesses firsthand how deep the water really was. Fighting for control, he pumped his arms and legs until his head broke the water, and he dragged in a breath of air.

But the breath never came – it was like he was underwater again, even though his head was above the surface. Gasping for air, Link struggled to stay afloat as the waved shoved him under again, dashing him against the slick sides of the pool and punching the breath out of him. Water flooded Link's mouth and lungs and he started to push his way to surface again, before he realized that he could _breathe._ Slowly he stopped thrashing and inhaled to test his theory. Again water rushed into his mouth, but he could somehow breathe it. Was this Kindel's doing?

A blue glow caught his attention and he looked down to see the small dragon-scale necklace float to eye level. The scale glimmered a brilliant sapphire, rippling in the shifting water. _Of course! The item from the last silent realm._ Link looked back up to the surface of the water, then took off the dragon scale and placed it in Zelda's pouch. Kicking off of the bottom of the pool, he swam to the surface, where the air was suddenly and strangely breathable.

"What happened? You were down there for a long time." Kindel asked, leaning over the edge of the pool. Ignoring him, Link slipped the dragon scale around his neck and took a breath, but it was like breathing in a vacuum. Slipping underwater, he was able to breathe again.

"The scale from the last silent realm." He explained to Kindel upon resurfacing. "It flips the air supply or something. I can breathe underwater, but not above it."

"That's ingenious!" Kindel nodded approvingly. "But how does it help us?"

Turning back to the water, Link hung the dragon scale around his neck and dove back under. He had noticed a variety of strange shapes underwater, but now that the spirit of the temple wasn't actively seeking to kill him it was much easier to observe his surroundings. Three grates were set deep into the stone, in relatively good condition, with locks that had been rusted through. With one kick Link sent the first door clattering into a small, underwater chamber. Drawing the Master Sword from its sheath, Link propelled his way through the opening and into the chamber.

It was almost identical to the atrium, with crystal-studded walls and the same ethereal glow that floated through the water. Looking down, Link noticed glowing emblems blazing from the floor of the chamber, radiating like petals around a central design. Beams of intricate light wove together to from the rippling structure. Link remembered where he had seen something like it before – in the first silent realm.

 _So the Resistance was right,_ he thought while raising the Master Sword. Link hesitated for a moment, the currents of the water ballooning the fabric of his clothes. The floor of the chamber seemed to be made of solid stone, and he didn't want to risk shattering his weapon on it. Besides, Kindel would never let him hear the end of it.

Taking in a deep breath, he swung the sword over his shoulder and thrust it into the stone, which parted like butter underneath the blade. Immediately the world tricked out of Link's vision and was replaced with spinning pricks of light, which dissolved and reformed rapidly into a new realm altogether.

The first thing Link noticed was the lava, of course. Already the silent realm wasn't boding well for him. Vivid reddish-blue lava bubbled lethargically around a small platform he stood on, hardening at the surface into rocky protrusions, forming a crusty shell. The lava extended a good distance before it receded to the rocky walls of a mountain, sloping inwards and tapering above Link's head. Craning his neck back, Link could make out a pinprick of ghostly light above the stone.

Was he inside of a _volcano?_

His gaze dropped to the twisted, crudely shaped slabs of rock that projected from the walls of the volcano. From underneath the rock strange shapes hung like bladders, shaking slightly with the rumbling of the mountain. Link's immediate problem, though, was the lava. If he was surrounded on all sides there was no way he could reach any of the tears.

The first tear hung suspended over the lava, almost daring Link to try his luck and see how lava resistant he was. His guess was not very.

"Made it back here again, have you?" A familiar voice boomed, and Link nearly cried with relief.

"Armageddon, you don't sound excited to see me."

"I should think very well not, after the talking-to I got since your last escapade in the silent realm. Those pillars were thousands of years old, you should know. They don't come cheap these days."

"We have bigger problems than your financial state." Link gestured to the tear with one hand. "How am I supposed to reach it?"

Armageddon seemed miffed when he replied. "Well, it's not my job to give you hints on the trials. You have to use your very own brain cells – or lack of them, in your instance."

Grumbling to himself, Link started to reach for Zelda's pouch, hoping there was something inside of it that could help him reach the tear. He had just opened it when the pouch disappeared with a _pop,_ along with the familiar weight of his sword being released from his back.

"I'm nothing if not thorough, Hero. Nice Pirate's Charm, by the way." The devilish grin in Armageddon's voice was nearly tangible. Link bit back a curse – of course Armageddon would bring up Zelda in a time like this. Familiar panic began to build up in his chest as he observed his situation, searching his surrounding area for something, anything, that would help him reach the tear.

"It's taking you a lot longer to step out of the circle this time around." Armageddon noted. _He really is bitter about that column business._ "Quantitative data, you'll understand. The stopwatch is still running."

Shutting Armageddon out of his mind, Link reached down and picked up a large stone from the platform he stood on. It was roughly shaped, strewn with pebbles and rocks no larger than Link's fist. The stone in question was sleek and pointed, fashioned from a deep black rock that was smooth to touch. Turning his eyes back to the walls of the volcano, Link searched for one of the bladder-like shapes. One dangled nearby, directly above the tear. Grinning, Link pulled his arm back and released the stone with as much force as he could muster.

His aim was true, surprisingly, and the stone pierced the bladder, spilling blue liquid onto the tear and the lava beneath it. The lava immediately began to harden, congealing into an enormous slab of pitch-black, lumpy stone. Taking a few steps back, Link prepared to jump.

"Oh, no. I'm sorry for what I said about the columns, okay? Really, the goddesses weren't that mad. They were impressed! I swear it! Just don't jump into the lava, for Hylia's sake!"

Running forward, Link planted his feet on the edge of the platform and sprang forward, kicking out from the rock and reaching for the new slab of hardened lava. As his feet cleared the protection circle the volcano was thrown into a harsh red light and the lava began to roil beneath Link, bubbling and rolling with increased ferocity. In the distance the heads of the Guardians snapped up, and a Watcher started to swoop toward Link, its bangles creating a cacophony of horror as it drew closer.

But Link was only focused on the tear of light as his fingers stretched closer and closer... He landed on the slab with a spinning crash, snatching the tear as the rock twisted in a wild tailspin. The lava settled instantly and the Guardians relaxed, falling back into their passive stances. The volcano faded back to blue and calm was restored.

Brushing himself off, Link stood and looked up, shouting to Armageddon. "What was that you were saying earlier?"

"Absolutely nothing, you reckless idiot. One down, nine to go."

"Missed you too."

 **Quick! Remnants is under attack! Defend it with your reviews, favorites, and follows! Which, for today, go to the makers of useless catapults that don't turn around properly. Here's some cash for R &D, the worthless numbskulls.**

 **As a side note, I started to write a steampunk Avengers AU that I'm super hyped about. It'll get posted eventually but I only have 2 chapters so far. Are y'all interested?**

 **Thanks as always for reading, my wonderful (and talented, because I read the fic requests as mentioned in the previous chap) readers! Until next time. :)**


	46. The Lost Continent

***cues complaining* I'm going to be seeing OWI circuits in my sleep. On the bright side, I've developed a strong admiration for George Gershwin. 10/10 would reccomend Liza, but make sure it's the Benny Goodman version.**

 **Back to fanfiction! Welcome back, as always. I actually really like this chapter and hope you do too. Read on!**

The slab of hardened lava was close enough to the edge of the bubbling magma for Link to jump to the other side. A walkway of sorts ringed the volcano, occasionally melding into the wall to form off-shooting tunnels that stretched into darkness. Dodging the solemn form of a Guardian, Link edged his way around the corner, bracing himself for the worst.

The worst gladly presented itself. The tunnel abruptly dropped to a deep cliff, with mist swirling ominously at the bottom. From the drop several small stalagmite-shaped rocks jutted upwards, the surfaces of which were flattened and about the size of a plate. They were located a few feet apart from each other, following a loose path to a larger platform. On the final platform stood a lone tear, beaming with blue light in the misty darkness.

The familiar ticking of the clock seemed to echo in Link's ears as he surveyed the scene. "It's not that bad," He told himself. "Jut a hop, skip and you're on your way to the next tear."

"You jinxed it, my man," Armageddon replied with a nearly audible cringe, and Link turned to see the form of a lone Watcher drift from the gloom and begin to patrol the middle of the columns, pacing back and forth while its lantern cast wild shadows across the landscape.

Time was already running out, so Link sat down on the ground and undid his boots. Stripping off his stocks, he stood and reached out for the first platform, keep his center of balance low by gripping the edge of rock with both hands. A confused Armageddon started to babble again, but Link tuned out the spirit and instead focused on the next platform. It looked even smaller than the first, and significantly further away. Stretching out a far as he could, Link barely pulled himself over to the platform's surface, leg muscles burning as he pulled himself up.

The next few platforms would be tricky, with the Watcher drifting back and forth over them. The ghostly light spread over the platforms, then faded away when the Watcher reached the furthest distance of its path. Link started to count the seconds while it meandered back to the other side of the platforms, then leaped forward when it started to pivot for the return trip. Thankfully the next three platforms were much closer together and he darted across them hastily, pulling his leg away just in time to avoid the glow of the Watcher's lantern.

"That wasn't so bad after all." He called up to Armageddon, who heaved a dramatic sigh.

"You jinxed it again. You're good at this – jinxing things, not silent realms. You're rubbish at silent realms."

"And you're a ray of sunshine and encouragement." Link growled, surveying the next platform with worry. It was much further from his current vantage point than the other pillars had been – he doubted he could reach it fully stretched out. A Kindel-esque idea came to him and he stepped back to the trio of pillars as the Watcher pivoted and started back towards him, a cold glow bobbing around it.

"Um, Hero, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but there's _a Watcher coming right for you._ " Armageddon hissed, and Link lowered himself into a fighting stance on the pillar.

"Yeah, I know."

"You know – he knows, everybody. He knows all. I'll be bowing down over the bucketful of your remains. Move!"

Holding his ground, Link waited until the beam of the Watcher's lantern hovered over him. As he expected, the volcano was washed in brilliant scarlet like a curtain of blood, the entire world reacting as the Guardians snapped to attention, eyes lighting like coals.

The Watcher released a metallic shriek, twitching backwards with laughter, and drew a wicked curved knife from the folds in its robe. Before it could swing its arm down to stab, Link coiled backwards and sprung for the Watcher, hands extended. He clutched the thing in both hands and it shrieked again, recoiling and twisting in the air, limbs bending back over themselves to throw Link from his grip. Growling with frustration, Link wrestled the thrashing creature over the chasm to the final platform, delivering swift kicks in the direction he wanted to go. Screeching and wailing, the Watcher darted in a rough path to the final pillar, the tear casting a glow of light all around it. With a final push Link shoved the Watcher over the platform and dropped, landing a few feet away from the tear.

While the Watcher was reeling from its attack, Link looked up to see a Guardian bounding across the pillars, its long limbs scissoring back and forth with otherworldly precision. It leaped to the final pillar in one fluid motion, thrusting its sword forward, and Link dove for the tear. His fingers barely brushed the glowing tear and the world trickled back to a calm blue again. The Guardian froze, arms and legs folding back into its passive stance, and it fell into the chasm. Link watched it fall with a burst of pleasure.

"I guess he fell for me."

"Did you just end that badassery with a quip? Oh, Hylia, this is another cheesy action movie."Armageddon groaned. From the bottom of the chasm a rumbling sound hummed as another pillar was thrust up, bridging the gap between the final column. Link crossed back to the volcano quickly, breathing a sigh of relief when he stepped foot on solid ground again. The spot where the Guardian had stood was noticeably empty, and Link grinned as he passed, hobbling forward while quickly tying his boots back on.

Bringing his pace to a quick jog, Link hurried back into the main chamber of the volcano. He continued around the walkway and entered the next tunnel, which let out onto a narrow pathway. The way was noticeably pillar-jumping free, but Link remained apprehensive as he rounded the corner of the sloping trail. The angle of the ground tilted steeply upward, and Link realized that he would soon have to climb to the top of a small peak. He nudged a light fruit near his foot and a beam of light erupted from the top of the mountain. It was dwarfed by the mammoth volcano, but Link had had his fill of climbing for a lifetime. With a sigh he gripped a protruding bit of rock and started to work his way up.

Compared to swinging from Watchers, the mountain hike was a cinch. A single Watcher fluttered about the mountain's peak, but Link was able to snatch the tear easily. On the climb down he spotted another light fruit and it activated the various beacons scattered around the silent realm. Most of the rays of light were thrust far across his vision, but one burned relatively close to his location. After a brief climb up a small ridge he found the tear hidden in a pile of ancient pottery. Armageddon would probably throw a fit if he destroyed the ancient artifacts, so he carefully pulled the tear from the largest jug without jostling the pots. It took a significant amount of restraint not to crush the pottery under his boots – partly because he wanted to see how the resident spirit would react, and partly because being stranded helpless in a world of evil sword-wielding demons was giving him the strong urge to break something.

"Three down, seven to go. We're on a roll."

"I'm calling it. You're going to jinx it again. On the same note, what happens if you jinx a jinx? If I, at the same time, jinx your previous jinx, does that make the statement doubly jinxed? Jinxed squared? Or is the jinx nullified?"

As Link ran back to the volcano he darted under the form of a Guardian, whose hands clutched a mace in long, spiderlike fingers. "It's a wonder to me why the goddesses put you on silent realm duty, Armageddon."

"Ouch. That was quite a stab in the back." Armageddon groused.

A problem faced Link as soon as he entered the volcano again – his walkway terminated mere yards from the tunnel he had just exited. Instead the pool of lava slowly dropped into a wide stream of glowing, molten rock. The lava stretched down another short tunnel before falling out of sight.

Link pointed to the distant stream of lava. "Is that a lava _waterfall?"_

He could imagine Armageddon beaming when the spirit replied. "If you must know, I had a little influence in the making of the silent realms. This part is a personal favorite of mine."

"And why is that?" Link asked with a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Well, I'm currently ranking the screams of previous Heroes based on shrillness, when they burst into tears, and how quickly they burned in the lava." Armageddon replied cheerfully. "Goddesses, I'm joking. Isn't a lava waterfall awesome, though?"

"Charming." Swiping a rock from a patch of loose stone, Link cocked his arm back and threw the stone at one of the hovering bladders. Its contents spilled over the lava, which hardened quickly into a familiar rock shingle. This time the platform started to meander towards the lava river, and Link leaped onto the stone without a second thought. His boots made contact with the steaming rock and he fished a few more stones out of his pocket, just in case the rock beneath him didn't hold. As the mouth of the tunnel stretched over his head he noticed a collection of the same water bladders hanging from the roof of the tunnel, disguised by a collection of twisting stalactites and strange rock formations.

The tear soon became visible at the very edge of Armageddon's lava waterfall, gleaming against the shadowy backdrop of the mountains. Link couldn't see over the spilling lava, but he knew the drop would be a _long_ way down. He jumped about a foot in the air when he saw one of the ever-present Guardians half-hidden behind a boulder, hands folded neatly over its massive sword. Suddenly aware of the time ticking down, Link kicked the rock platform in an effort for it to move faster. If the rock recognized his desperation, it didn't react.

Time was always of the essence, especially now. The rock platform was beginning to heat again at the edges, which had started to burn an intense gold. If the stone underneath Link's feet melted while he was standing on it, Armageddon would get all the data he needed on screams and flammability.

At last the platform drifted to the edge and Link swiped the tear, then swiveled and threw a stone at one of the concealed bladders. The water sizzled and smoked furiously when the water came in contact with it, but a lumpy solid formed from the slow-moving lava. Swinging his arms back, Link jumped onto the newly formed lava platform just as the old one broke apart beneath his feet. In seconds the molten rock fragments were swept over the edge of the lava waterfall and out of sight.

It was a long and exhausting journey back up the lava river to the center of the volcano, but Link emerged from the tunnel unscathed. He collected another tear hovering over the lava upon reentering the volcano's center, and was looking for another bladder when he noticed a scrap of the sky shining through the ceiling. A narrow shaft penetrated the volcano's thick stone walls, casting a beam of blue on the shifting lava.

A light fruit sprouted from the wall next to Link and he slapped his palm against it, activating the beacons above the tears. A pure-white beam split the view of the sky. There was a tear on the other side of the volcano, and he needed to reach it.

The volcano's walls provided ample footholds and Link soon knelt at the entryway to the passage. His heart sank when he saw the path – it was narrow and winding, with sharp rocks jutting out at all angles. Even without the obstacles, it would be difficult to traverse. The passage was incredibly thin, and Link wondered if he could even fit inside. Muttering a few choice words about the goddesses and Armageddon under his breath, he ducked his head down and started to climb.

The passageway seemed to be engineered for the sole purpose of being impossible to climb. Link half-shuffled, half-climbed up the hole, rocks shoving their way into his sides and legs, the walls pressing in on him from every side. The mammoth weight of the rock compressing him was enough to increase Link's pace significantly, forcing his arms and legs faster as they battered against the stone, calves burning and thighs throbbing. When his head emerged from the tunnel he took in a deep breath, glad to be free from the cramped space, and soon released said breath in a groan.

Another mountain stood before him, with a tear twinkling at its apex. The mountain was no ordinary mountain, either. The rock seemed to be cleaved jaggedly in two, then set slightly apart. The rocks trembled and grumbled with a strange grinding sound, then clashed together with a roar. Link jumped as the opposing faces slammed into one another, surely mincing whatever had stood between them into a pulp.

"Is this another one of your brilliant ideas?"

"I call it 'Between a Rock and a Hard Place.' Pretty good, huh?"

"Not exactly the word I had in mind." Link dodged a solemn Guardian, eyeing the thing's massive sword with apprehension. He hoped it couldn't climb.

As he approached the mountain Link realized he wouldn't be able to safely climb on the outside of the mountain faces. They were rumbling and quaking too violently, and he would be thrown off in an instant. Which left only one option for climbing up – _between_ the two mountain halves.

"That mountain's going to make me a panini!" Link shouted to Armageddon, but the spirit didn't reply. Maybe he was going to get popcorn or something. Shaking his head, Link jogged up to the mountain and craned his head back to see to the top.

Just as he stepped closer, the two sides of the mountain crashed together with colossal force, shaking the ground beneath Link's boots. A rain of rock dust and pebbles cascaded down onto Link, released from the impact, and the mountains ground against each other for a moment before slowly pulling apart. Without waiting another second Link leaped onto the right side of the mountain and started to climb like a Hero possessed, arms and legs pumping as he flew up the rock face. Fear and adrenaline pulsed through his body as he climbed, dragging himself up by shallow footholds and handholds. Every second he expected the wall to clash against him, every rumble of the rock setting him on edge.

As he rose the world fell into a brilliant red – he had gone over the time limit for collecting the tear. How long had he been climbing? Link threw himself against the wall with increased vigor, muscles quaking with exhaustion. If he had exceeded the time limit for the tear, surely the two rock faces would connect at any second now, and he would fail the silent realm. _Again._

No way was he going to let that happen.

With a monumental push he cleared the top of the mountain, jumping to his feet as the rock gave an enormous groan. Link was nearly thrown from his feet as the two halves of the mountain collided with each other, echoing in Link's ears like a bomb blast. He reached out and tapped the tear, which dissolved into points of light around his fingers. The instant he touched the tear the trembling mountains stilled, and he scrambled to the bottom with some semblance of dignity.

"You know, I'm kind of impressed with your progress so far. Really I am." Armageddon commented as Link ran back into the chamber of the volcano, searching for another tunnel. "The lava river was executed flawlessly. Then the clashing rocks. I could say you rocked that, but I'd have to hand in my punning merit badge."

"That's long overdue, my friend."

"Don't you talk to me with that tone, Mr. 'Looks like he fell for me.' I think I vomited in my mouth a little bit there."

"Do formless silent realm spirits even have mouths?" This stunned Armageddon into a blissful silence, and Link was able to proceed in relative peace.

The next tunnel emptied out into yet another cliff. On a distant platform of rock stood the next tear, glowing lightly in the shifting hues of the silent realm. The gap above the chasm was bridged by a row of what looked to be boxes, aligned with each other in a rough bridge shape. Cautiously Link walked up to the nearest box and applied his weight to the furthest corner. The wood gave a massive groan that seemed like it could wake the dead, and Link stepped off as quickly as possible.

"This is garbage. Did you make it?" Link asked Armageddon, who replied with a huff of disdain. "The garbage will do, I guess."

He inched onto the top of the boxes, spread-eagled to keep his weight balanced. Gripping a jutting board in one hand, Link pulled himself forward a few inches, expecting the rotting wood to collapse underneath him. A low moan of protest sounded from the structure, but it remained stable as Link progressed.

It was tedious business, and Link almost preferred the stressful and strenuous journey up the clashing mountains. Foot by foot he edged his way over the gap, suspended by half-eaten wooden boxes and rusty nails. As always he felt the pressure of time pressing down on him, in this silent realm more than usual. He had already surpassed the time limit for the tears multiple times, most likely because the tasks to reach the tears were much longer than those in the Sandsea silent realm. When the eerie chime sounded and the world was thrown into stark scarlet, Link wasn't all that surprised. Instead he focused on staying balanced and dragging himself forward, one pull at a time. He hadn't come this far to fall into a chasm and have to start over.

But the nearby Guardians had other plans. When Link glanced over his shoulder he saw two of the lanky creatures sprinting out of the tunnel, both swinging maces above their heads. They reached the bridge in mere seconds and leaped onto the box bridge. The wood gave a massive _crunch_ and Link's stomach dropped to his shoes. He shuffled across the bridge as quickly as he dared, but the Guardians would reach him in mere moments.

If they didn't fall into the chasm, of course. Both of the Guardians stalked closer, wary of the unstable wood beneath their feet, but it wasn't enough.

As Link reached the end of the bridge the wood groaned and started to tear apart, collapsing into the misty darkness.

 **Lowkey Star Wars references. The Indiana Jones reference has yet to be found in one of the previous chapters... Like the Ark of the Covenant before Indy came around :)**

 **Thanks as always for reading! This week's reviews, favorites and follows go to my still-standing offer: don't forget to add in a fic of yours for me to read! It's the least I can do if you're reading mine.**

 **Until next time, then!**


	47. Schism

**What's up? We are so close to 150 reviews and it's all thanks to you. *silently freaking out at your awesomeness***

 **This is the forty-seventh chapter, so I think you know the drill by now. Read on!**

If such a thing as bridge-crossing ferocity existed, Link crossed the bridge with ferocity. He hung in a delicate balance between staying upright and falling into an endless abyss – and failing the silent realm – which manifested itself in a mad-dash to the last hastily nailed box. The second he leaped from the wooden structure and onto the pillar the bridge gave a massive groan, caving beneath the Guardian's pounding footsteps. A monumental screech split the calm as the bridge tore apart, then scattered as it fell into the darkness, taking the Guardian with it. Quickly Link snatched the tear on the platform.

"Don't you dare. Don't you –" Armageddon warned.

"Guess he's water under the bridge now." Armageddon responded to this with a sigh of utter loathing.

"I'm going to regret doing this, aren't I?" A moment later short pillars erupted from the swirling mist, tracing a pack back to the volcano.

"Thank you oh so kindly." Link remarked as he picked his way back to the volcano's inner chamber. "In my defense, the water-under-the-bridge pun was pretty great."

"I decline comment."

Link slapped his palm against a light fruit that bloomed from the outer surface of the volcano, half-hidden under the craggy surface. A small beam spiraled skyward to his right, near the dark outline of a mountain peak. Deviating from the main path, he scrambled up a small ridge that separated him from the distant mountain. A rocky terrain rolled up and down in sharp hills, scattered with knife-like rocks.

"I know there's that whole shebang with the road less traveled, but really?" Armageddon's voice was notably on edge. "Stick to the program, man."

"I live for the road less traveled. I'm the Hero, remember?" Link replied, edging his way down the ridge and over a pile of boulders. The beacon of light was fading from the tear, so Link ran forward and re-activated it with another light fruit.

The trek to the mountain was surprisingly short, and the second beacon was beaming fully when Link reached the base of the mountain. Slightly suspicious of the lack of Guardians and life-threatening situations, Link climbed the mountain. It was really more of a small hill, and not at all steep. When he reached the tear of light he squinted up at the sky, expecting some sort of trick.

"Do I have to offset the weight or something? Is there a pressure mine under here or something?"

"How would you deactivate a pressure mine?"

"Switch the tear with a rock or something. Very quickly."

"You really think that would work? You'd probably start an avalanche, given your aptitude to silent realms."

"True, the last thing I need is a boulder chasing me." Closing his eyes, Link reached forward and swiped at the tear. It dissolved instantly, notably free of boulders.

"If you must know, in order to install the lava river the goddesses insisted I put in a freebie. You're welcome." Armageddon griped. "I _should_ add a boulder-launching catapult, shouldn't I?"

"Sure, spice things up a little bit."

When Link re-entered the volcano chamber he noticed that there was only one tunnel remaining. It branched off to the right and emptied to a canyon, with the opposite side only forty yards or so away from Link's vantage point. Two beams of metal stretched across the canyon, too narrow for Link to walk across, bridging the gap to the other side where the last tear gleamed.

Stacked to Link's side were enormous boxes, stretching far above his head. The wood was in the same state of repair as the previous box bridge he had crossed. Most were half-eaten by termites, rotting and buckling at the nails. An inkling of an idea came to mind and Link pulled a large box from the top of a stack, then kicked his leg through the moldy wood.

Using a nearby rock to hammer in the nails, Link managed to fashion a makeshift, rickety platform of sorts. He laid it across the metal beams, making sure it overlapped and wouldn't throw him into the gorge, and gave the platform a small shove. It inched forward ever so slightly.

"If I may ask, what do you think you're doing?" Armageddon asked, sounding intrigued and disdainful at the same time.

"You made the last tear a _slide?_ " Link responded.

Armageddon gave an indignant huff. "Technically it's a downward-sloping rail system, made of titanium alloy. Or, as you so eloquently put it, a slide."

Running back a few steps, Link rounded on the platform. He had just started to reply to Armageddon when a sharp clashing noise sounded and the all-too-familiar red curtain descended on the silent realm. Had he passed his time already?

From two of the stacks of boxes Guardians leaped out, snapping their spike-studded maces into position. "You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Link roared, ducking as one of the Guardians flung its mace at his forehead. Scrambling sideways, he leaped forward and landed roughly on the platform, which snapped and warped beneath his weight. He had jumped with enough momentum to push it forward and down the incline, safely out of the maniacal silent realm guards' reach.

Or so he thought, before the Guardians stepped onto the beams and started running after him, perfectly balanced on the 'titanium alloy' bars. Nudging the platform faster with his feet, Link frantically shuffled forward as the platform reached the end of the bars, slowing down with friction. As soon as he was close enough Link jumped to his feet and scrambled in a mad-dash for the tear, brushing it with his fingertip as the Guardians closed in. They froze on the bars, somehow balanced in their resting position. The slipshod platform Link had made was already falling apart, and there was no way he would be able to walk back up to the volcano.

"You're lucky you have such a nice spirit presiding over your silent realms." Begrudgingly Armageddon activated a series of steps that led back to the volcano. Link gave the Guardians mock salutes as he passed, and the finger behind their backs. He quickly ascended the stairs and hurried back into the volcano, anxious to get the silent realm over with. Now that the danger was over with a strange calm loomed over the scene, and Link was more ready than ever to return to the natural world.

He had just taken a step forward, almost reaching the lava, when the world around him suddenly seemed to freeze. The silent realm flashed a violent shade of red, and a blaring sound thundered in Link's ears, mingled with a bellowing curse from Armageddon. As quickly as it had started Link was thrown back into the silent realm, now a calm blue, and the percussive smash ended.

"What on Hylia's green earth was that?" Link yelped, reeling slightly from the surprise.

"It appears that _somebody_ is interfering with you in the material world!" Armageddon roared, his frustration nearly tangible. "Get to the tear before the schism is complete!"

"Excuse me, the _what?"_

"The schism! It happens when the Hero is removed from the location of the silent realm while he's still in the silent realm, trapped in his spirit form forever!" Growled Armageddon, and the muted sounds of a struggle echoed in the volcano. The lights of the silent realm flashed a strobe of red and blue, casting harsh shadows along the wall.

"You mean to tell me I'll be stuck in the silent realm forever?" Link yelled, and Armageddon responded with another angry roar. A rumbling thundered from the base of the volcano and rocks started to fall from the ceiling, tumbling down into the lava. Scooping a pebble from the floor, Link hurled it at one of the water bladders, which dumped the water into the roiling magma. Not hesitating a moment, Link leaped onto the newly formed slab of steaming rock. For one second that seemed to last a year he was frozen over the lava, paused in time as the silent realm jolted out of place beside him, then snapped back like a rubber band. The force of the propulsion shot Link into the middle of the volcano, where he had entered the silent realm in the first place.

"Get me out of here, Armageddon!"

"I'm _trying!"_ Armageddon swore, then the silent realm disappeared completely. At once Link felt like he was torn from his skin, fire searing across his body in one agonizing moment, then the world and the pain dissolved into a haze of black.

"Of course he's sleeping in a moment of extreme danger where we very well might die. How very typical. I revoke every statement I ever said about your moral fiber. Your moral fiber is fiber negative-one. As in a lack of moral fiber altogether. Maybe you lack fiber as well, how am I supposed to know? _Link, if you hear me, open your eyes because we very well may be gutted in about two seconds. I could use the help of a person granted powers by deities._ "

"Armageddon? Is that you?" Link groaned, forcing his eyes open blearily. To his delight the world he saw was not the blue-tinted, glowing silent realm, but the interior of a perfectly normal cave. Torches were shoved into indents in the rock, casting a light glow about the room. Link made to stand up, only to realize that his arms were bound behind him. Thick ropes would around his wrists, shackling him to a large stalagmite. Kindel stood beside him, face twisted in an expression of bitter distaste, similarly bound.

"What happened? I was underwater in that chamber. Why are we here?"

Kindel smirked, gesturing as well as he could with his hands tied behind his back. "Oh, this is a story for the ages. So you don't respond for a while – and by a while I mean a few hours – so I assume you're either dead or doing your whole silent hell deal. I'm minding my own business when these huge hulking Gorons come up and gibber to me in Ancient Hylian. Now, mind you, the Great Deku Tree's been offed for a while now, so my concept of the language is a little rusty, but I managed to convey to them that we were friendly. Or I might have called his seven-year-old niece a whore. You have experience with that particular phrase, don't you?"

"Please, stop talking." Link groaned. "I would almost prefer my soul to be stuck in the silent realm."

"Well, while you were so nobly drooling on the ground I tried to get a few words in with the Gorons. Get this – they don't know about Gangstadorf."

This caught Link's attention; he sat upright quickly, latching onto Kindel's every word. "What?"

"You heard me, they don't know he exists. I don't think they've ever been down this mountain before. Weird, huh? From what I can guess they're stewards of the temple."

"Yeah, and a great job they've done at that. At least the zipline still works."

Kindel worked furiously at his bonds, which were just as large and tightly secured as Link's were. "What happens next? This is the part where you plan our daring escape, right?"

"This is the part where we decide your fate." A low voice rumbled, and Link's head rose sharply to face a massive Goron standing before them, feet spread apart and arms crossed. Kindel's hadn't been wrong about the size of these Gorons – the one standing before him easily towered over Link, with broad shoulders and pitted, scarred skin. A scowl split the Goron's face, mirrored in its dark eyes.

It took Link a moment to realize the Goron wasn't speaking Hylian – the words were strangely accented, alien in Link's ears, but he was able to follow along relatively well. In his stilted speech the Goron continued, glaring down at Link with eyes as black as midnight.

"Hast you an excuse for being at the summit? Activating the sacred realms of the goddesses?" The Goron made a strange gesture with his hands, stroking his brow and thrusting his finger towards the air.

"Um... Well, we took your zipline up to the top, because according to some sacred text the second silent realm's up there. The sacred text was right." Kindel began, speaking fluently in return to the Goron. The latter scowled, expression darkening as the crease in his brow deepened.

"What qualifications dost you have for trespassing on the territory of the sacred lands?"

"Trespassing?" Kindel yelped, wiggling away from the scowling Goron. "If you were so busy about trespassers why did you make a powered zipline to the center of your home base?"

A cruel smile twisted the face of the Goron, heightening his textured skin in the low light. "I am going to be perfectly honest with you, insolent creature. My society does not look fondly upon trespassers with shielded intentions. Have you come from the wild lands to spy on us? To break our defenses, so the gateway to the goddesses will be opened to all? No, it is not to be. Thus we must execute you to eliminate the threat."

"What?" Link pulled at his bindings, trying to wear the rope loose. He could hardly believe his ears. "You're going to kill us?"

"You should have been honest." The Goron shrugged, expression falling blank, and began to turn away.

"Wait, wait! Hold on a second." With some difficulty Link pulled back his sleeve and revealed the glowing Triforce symbol to the Goron. "See this? I've been chosen by your precious goddesses!" He twisted to see the Master Sword had been taken from its sheath, as he expected. "Look at the sword that was taken from me, the one you found in the stone. It's the Master Sword! The weapon of the Hero!"

For a fraction of a second the Goron's face lifted, almost disbelievingly, before it crashed down again in a faint sneer. "Save your tales for other ears." He grunted, then slammed the door behind him with a _crash._

Kindel let out a slow breath, sinking back to the ground. "He's going to kill us. The whole Triforce thing worked for the Resistance, but not for these Gorons, no. They're too mighty and lofty. This has got to be a joke."

"What do we know about these Gorons?" Link began to sift through his thoughts, trying to find anything he could use as an escape plan. "They don't know about Gangstadorf, so they must be secluded. Isolated from the world on the top of a mountain, it makes sense. Okay, we can work with this. What won't they know about?"

"Fast food, but that's not really a disadvantage." Kindel groaned.

Link snapped his fingers and rounded on Kindel. "Technology."

"Hm?"

"They won't know about technology! Phones, cars, radio, the whole shebang. If they haven't been down this mountain in a millennium, a GPS would scare the wits out of them."

"Gifted by the goddesses, huh?" A sly smile sneaked across Kindel's face. "Only problem is we haven't got any new-fangled technology on us. The Gorons stripped us of our possessions when they tied us up in here."

"Not a problem. Ready to get out of here?"

"I sure hope you know what you're doing."

Minutes later the Goron returned, looking significantly stranger than he had before. White paint traced the angles of his face, peppering the craggy surface in swirling patterns. A ceremonial toga wrapped around his broad shoulders, with traces of gold like ore veins weaving in and out of the fabric, and a massive knife was strapped to his hip. The effect was very intimidating, and Link followed meekly as the Goron led them from their containment room through a maze of harshly cut tunnels, hewn straight from the stone.

After they had turned a dozen corners the tunnel spilled out into an enormous open area, where hundreds of Gorons had congregated. Each was bedecked in the same toga and war paint the first Goron was, small eyes peering down at Link and Kindel as they passed. The center of the room was raised slightly, and an elevated circle held a gilded altarpiece and a similarly decorated throne, which stood empty.

Link and Kindel were led to the lip of the raised dais, then forced to their knees by a rough shove from the Goron. Looking up, Link noticed the strangely shaped figures of the altar and the foreign script that had been carved into its surface. The thing was ancient, like a relic from a history book, decorated with angular figures of the golden goddesses with eyes that appeared to be on the exact opposite sides of their heads.

"Presenting the benevolent ruler of our kingdom, He Who Shall Ordain All, the mighty Gulong!"

Both Link and Kindel attempted to turn and see the Goron who was approaching, but their captor forced their heads back to the altar. It was then when Link noticed a small, familiar item resting on the surface of the altar's platform – Zelda's pouch, sitting in plain view! All at once a plan fell into place in his head and he turned as subtly as he could to Kindel.

"Can Korok magic make something louder?" He hissed, and Kindel nodded ever so slightly, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Whatever you're planning it had better be good." The Goron shoved Link's head further down until his nose was nearly brushing his knees, forcing him into a bow. Turning his head, Link watched as Gulong proceeded to the throne.

The Goron looked to be as ancient as the altarpiece, with a scraggly beard longer than Link was tall and tied with bits of rock and crystal. Ceremonial paint outlined his face, the jagged edges of his cheekbones and jaw, with tints of red and purple highlighting the cruelty in his clouded eyes. The king looked over the crowd magisterially and the Gorons fell into bows, the rustling of togas filling the massive cave.

Gulong was carried into the cave on a litter, supported by four broad-shouldered Gorons. Drapes of rich fabric were swept away from the litter's compartment to reveal the timeworn king. Apparently Gulong was heavier than he looked, because the four Gorons underneath him were struggling to heft him along as they walked. When they reached the dais, carefully climbing up the step, Link reached out with his bound hands and snagged the foot of one of the carriers, causing him to stumble. The litter lurched to one side and Link flung his arm forward, snatching Zelda's pouch from the altar in the brief moment of chaos. He stowed the pouch in his shirt while the litter was righted, and the king was settled into the throne. Velvet cushions creased underneath Gulong as he rested into the throne, clutching a spear in one hand and the arm of the throne in the other. Although the Goron was old, Link didn't doubt the authority in his eyes.

"Who comes before me today?" Gulong asked, voice deep and resonant in the silence. The Gorn behind Link cleared his throat and audibly straightened, sure to look his most impressive before his king.

"Two intruders, my lord. I espied them trespassing the gateway to the goddesses."

"Please, good sir, we plead mercy!" Kindel cried, throwing himself forward at the king's feet. Gulong sneered and prodded Kindel backwards with the butt of his spear, almost toying with the Korok.

"You mistake me. This meeting of our is not to decide your fate. It's to decide how quickly – or how slowly – I should kill you. Please, indulge me.

 **I'm rather unoriginal. Lowkey Indiana Jones references because I can. And technology... How do you think that's going to play out? (Fun fact - Gulong is Chinese for Goron.)**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Gorons for Classical Theater Institution, because these guys have their Shakespeare lingo down.**

 **Thank ye so very much for all of your support! Seriously, I'm flattered every time you review or even read. Keep sending those stories in! :)**

 **Until next time!**


	48. Splinters of Stars

**To think the week could have ended so soon? I'm just as glad as you are - welcome back to Remnants!**

 **WE HIT 150 REVIEWS *totally freaks out* AND IT'S ALL THANKS TO YOU!**

 **Back to composure. What are you waiting for, read on!**

"My king, my liege, my most blessed, sincere, and ruggedly handsome lord, this is all a simple misunderstanding." Link smiled and attempted to spread out his hands, then realized they were still bound by the rope. "First, would you fulfill a man's dying wish and untie me?"

Gulong peered at him critically for a moment, then decided that Link proved to be no threat and jutted his jaw at a nearby Goron. A huge knife sawed through the bonds and Link nodded gratuitously at the king. Kindel was untied as well, seeming as surprised as Link was that the king had agreed to Link's request.

"Thank you most kindly, o great and powerful one." Link bowed deeply. _Flattery never hurts, not even with ancient Goron cult leaders._ "Like I was saying, this is a simple misunderstanding."

"Yes! Very simple! One could even say the simplest!" Kindel interjected, and Link glared at him, then turned back to the king and rolled his eyes.

"That's quite enough, Epona. My pal and I here were climbing the mountain to see the famous windmill, a real marvel of engineering if I do say so myself –"

Gulong's expression hardened – as much as it could with his face being rock and all – and he scowled at Link. "What is this creation? A windmill?"

"Well, yeah. That thing your cable attaches to." Link supplied while Kindel attempted to mime what a cable looked like.

"These two annoy me. Kill them." Gulong gestured shortly, and Link threw up his hands.

"You're making a grave mistake, most noble and powerful one! The goddesses themselves delivered a quest to us! You will fall from their favor if we are killed before we can complete it!"

The Gorons drew in a reverent breath and Gulong straightened in his chair, his interest snapping back to Link. "The goddesses, you said?"

"Every last one of them! Nayru, Farore, and Din!"

Mutters rose from the crowd as the Gorons recoiled, some clapping their hands over their ears. Gulong's jaw dropped, the wispy hair of his beard fanning out before him as he gawked at Link.

"You heathens dare invoke the names of the Most High?"

"Oh, I dare! I have been tasked by the goddesses themselves! They bestowed their blessing upon me. This mark, here!" Again Link pulled back his sleeve to reveal the golden Triforce blazing on the back of his hand. Gulong drew away like he had been burned, eyes the size of saucers, and the Gorons in the crowd shoved closer to see.

"What quest brings you here?" Gulong probed, eyes sharpening back into focus. It would take more than superstition to trick this one.

"I have been tasked with the role of the Hero, to root evil from this land! It has spread like a cancer over our realm, festering in the darkest of corners, its influence felt in the realms of the goddesses themselves. I only recently returned from the, er, gateway to the goddesses and spoke with their courier, who has given me new instruction on my quest!" Link waved his arms about, nearly shouting at the Goron king. Hopefully his dramatic flair was paying off.

"So you have the mark of the goddess. That can be easily faked." Gulong remarked shrewdly, lips twisting into a smirk. "You give us no proof of your connection with golden ones. Because of this you must perish. Begone, evildoers!" He raised his staff above his head, and the Gorons began to chant, voices mingling in an undulating roar that whispered of darkness and death and all things horrible.

Whipping out Zelda's pouch, Link rooted around in the bag's contents before tugging out the pair of walkie-talkies. He slipped one to Kindel as he strode forward to the wizened king, thrusting the radio in Gulong's face.

"Behold! The gift of the goddesses! A millennium before its time, birthed from the bowels of ingenuity herself!" A resounding chorus of _oohs_ rose from the Gorons, mixed with Kindel's _eww._ "The wisdom of Farore, the daring of Din, the magic of Nayru! I show to you, the _walkie-talkie!_ "

Link gave Kindel a sharp look and flipped the switch of the radio on. Immediately the room was filled with a wailing, mechanical static, magically magnified until it thundered throughout the cave. The Gorons fell to their knees, clapping hands over their ears as the screeching static continued.

"Oh, woe betide those who cross the wielder of the _walkie-talkie!_ Destroyer of worlds! Vanquisher of the unconquered! Women and children cower in fear! Nay, all grovel before its divine presence!"

As if on cue the Gorons collapsed to their knees, groveling before the wailing walkie-talkie. Link flipped it off again and swiveled to face Gulong, grinning at the petrified Goron king.

"You pagans! The goddesses will –"

Ignoring him, Link switched the radio back on and the static continued, causing the Gorons to shriek in pain and fall to the ground. Gulong himself lurched backwards in his seat, frozen with shock and horror as the walkie-talkie continued its shrill serenade.

"Silence, fool!" Link roared, and Gulong's mouth snapped shut. "You dare defy the chosen one of the goddess?" Just for kicks he twisted the small dial to adjust the frequency, interspersing the static with an otherworldly warbling. Gulong sagged in his seat, trembling with terror.

"Fine! Stop with that infernal noise!" He waved his thin arms about and Link switched off the walkie-talkie. "I admit, young sir, I was skeptical of your true intentions. Forgive me, I thought you were just another trespasser. Like those nasty Din-spawned monsters that came up earlier, piggish looking things." Gulong shuddered and Link cast Kindel a pointed look. So the Bokoblins had already reached Eldin Peak...

"Well, it appears you thought wrongly." Link performed his best impression of a haughty sneer. "By order of the goddesses, I demand that you divulge all of the information on silent realms!"

Gulong cowered again, then looked up at Link in confusion. "If you truly are what you claim, couldn't you just converse with the goddesses and ask them yourself?"

"Yeah, Link, ever think about just _asking_ where the next silent realm is?" Kindel muttered in an undertone.

Regaining his composure, Link straightened and scowled down at the Goron king, who clutched the leg of his throne in terror.

"Would you dare strut up to the temple of the goddesses, knock, and sell newspaper subscriptions? What an excellent analogy to your utter stupidity!" Link cued another wailing blast from the radio, and many Gorons fell to their knees with shock. "Tell us or we'll make you."

Link really had no idea how he was going to force the king of a species made of rocks to give him information, but thankfully Gulong didn't know that. The Goron fell at Link's feet, gesturing feebly at the radio, which Link snapped off. "Fine! Fine! Just shut that infernal thing down!"

When Link obliged Gulong stood, brushing the dust from his knees and attempting to summon up his dignity again. "The realm of the goddesses, the trials of the Hero... Where can one begin?" At the mention of 'Hero' Link reached forward and swiped the Master Sword from the altar, slinging it casually over his shoulder. Gulong gulped and continued. "There are three silent realms, each hidden with a variety of safeguards in the most unlikely locations. In order to preserve our silent realm we submerged it, to keep out nasty intruders and to preserve it."

Drawing the Master Sword, Link admired the blade and cast Gulong a sidelong glance. "If I wanted hedging I would have called a lawn service. Where are they?"

Gulong leaned back in his chair, physically moving away from the presence of the Master Sword. "The first silent realm is on the coast, the second Eldin Peak, and the third in the marsh of Moruge."

Kindel gave Link an almost imperceptible nod – they had a lead on the next silent realm. Fighting to keep the glee from his face, Link glowered down at Gulong and held the walkie-talkie out like a weapon. The Gorons shrank back from him, obviously wondering what fate would await them next.

"The golden goddesses are well pleased with your devotion, noble king." Link gave Gulong a short bow, who sagged in relief on his throne. "Er – keep up the good work." Unwilling to stay in Eldin Peak any longer, he turned on his heel and started for the door.

"Hark! Are you going to leave now?" Gulong asked, and Link froze. "A messenger from the goddesses is not something we take lightly here. Come, let us feast!" The Goron king had gotten over Link's thinly veiled threats and torture-by-walkie-talkie remarkably quickly.

"I must not stray from my quest, good sir! Hylia is calling!" Giving Gulong a snappy salute, Link turned and all but ran from the cave, Kindel hot on his heels.

"How long do you think it's going to take them to realize the walkie-talkie is a box of plastic? And that their entire race was bested by a noisemaker?" Link mused as he ran down the maze of corridors, retracing his steps back to the silent realm chamber.

Kindel placed a finger to his chin in thought. "Oh, I'd say right about now."

The ground beneath Link's feet began to rumble as the stampede of Gorons erupted from the cave, their shrieks and hollers audible even given Link and Kindel's head start. Reaching forward, Link snatched Kindel and placed him on his shoulder as they ran, skidding around sharp turns and trying to lose the Gorons in the labyrinth of Eldin Peak.

Maybe all of Link's stories about being favored by the goddesses weren't all false, because somehow he and Kindel worked their way back to the mountaintop temple, now bathed in a wash of silver moonlight. The sight might have been beautiful if there weren't ravenous, cultist Gorons chasing after Link, so he quickly ran to find the platform where the zipline ended. Kindel beat at Link's shoulder with his little fists, tugging him away from the platform and towards the edge of the mountain.

"There's no time! They'll shoot us down in seconds!"

As the cries of the Gorons grew ever nearer Link realized that Kindel was right. He fished the Deku Leaf out of Zelda's pouch and hurried to the side of the mountain, peeking over the side to see a swooping, gut-clenching drop before him. Kindel nudged Link's shoulder, muttering encouraging things like, "Don't be a wuss." Just as Link was about to jump over the side a loud banging echoed behind him and he turned to see Gulong burst into the temple, sharp eyes catching sight of him in moments.

"Chosen by the goddess, eh? Bah! You're just like those pig monsters, only serving yourself. I'll be glad to see you fall."

"And that's where you're wrong." Link shrugged, then stepped backwards off the cliff of the mountain and plummeted to the ground.

Kicking off from the sloping surface of rock, Link swung away from the mountain and tumbled to the ground, barely managing to keep hold of the Deku Leaf as he fell. Kindel had reverted back to his blissful silence, clutching Link's shirt tightly as Link tried to maneuver his way over to one of the steam vents that jutted from the mountain's side. He swooped across one that thrust him upwards, inflating the left half of the Deku Leaf and sending Link spinning at a wild angle to the side.

This was probably for the best, because in seconds the air was thick with spears, rocks, anything the Gorons could muster up to throw at Link and Kindel as they spiraled to the surface. Because the air currents tossed Link on an erratic course the Gorons weren't able to aim their projectiles at him, and the spears clattered harmlessly to the mountain's falling slope. As best as he could Link angled himself towards the entrance of the mountain range. The memory of molten-rock catapults on the zipline side was all too fresh in his mind.

"I hate to be a backseat driver, but we are _so dead!_ " Kindel screeched in Link's ear, even shriller than the walkie-talkie static had been. Link twisted his head around just in time to see Gulong pull back his arm for a throw, sending his spear spiraling through the air.

If the Goron football team ever needed a quarterback, Gulong would be their first-string choice. The spear sailed through the air effortlessly, racing closer and closer to Link and Kindel, before tearing through the thin membrane that held the Deku Leaf together. The magical leaf tore with a mighty _rip_ and Link was jolted from the air, tumbling down to the foot of the mountain range hundreds of feet below. Kindel's screeches turned to prayer as they plummeted, and Link took a moment to scowl at the worthless Korok. _It's not like he possesses the capability to perform_ magic _that would get us out of this situation in seconds... Why do I have to do everything?_

Shoving the tattered remains of the Deku Leaf in Zelda's pouch, Link dragged out the enormous Gust Bellows and angled the tapered end of the contraptions towards the ground, then wrenched the valve fully open.

A gale of winds erupted from the end of the Gust Bellows, catapulting Link and Kindel into the air. In his surprise Link's grip on the item shifted and suddenly he was flying directly towards the face of a mountain. Tugging the end of the bellows up to chest level, he forced himself away from the rock and tightened the valve, slowing the flow of air. The gush of wind leveled to a stream, powerful enough for him to make a shaky, looping descent back down to the surface. It didn't help that Kindel was clinging so tightly to Link's arm the limb had nearly gone dead from lack of circulation. Still spouting nonsense about various Korok deities, Kindel kept his eyes screwed shut as Link managed a jolting descent.

The Gust Bellows was difficult to use as an instrument of flight, with Link constantly adjusting the output of wind and trying to maintain a vertical angle with the ground. The result was a wavering, unsteady descent, and Link nearly burst into tears of joy when his boots touched the surface. Trembling madly, Kindel worked his way down from Link's shoulder and stumbled a few paces away, then discreetly vomited behind a boulder. Link felt about the same way, placing the Gust Bellows back in the bag and pulling out the Deku Leaf with a sinking feeling in his stomach.

He had assumed the damage to the Deku Leaf wasn't as severe when he had glimpsed it falling from the sky, but his heart sank when he saw the extent to which the precious item had been mangled. Deep tears shredded through the leaf, leaving scars like claw marks that reduced the Deku Leaf to little more that scraps.

"Can you fix it?" Link asked Kindel, unable to tear his eyes away from the mangled leaf.

"If it wasn't this bad, yes. There's nothing I can do. Magic is hard to repair." Kindel replied, voice deadened. Link understood why – the Deku Leaf had been a gift from Alder before the Forest Village had burned. Just one more way Link could stab the Koroks in the back.

He turned to Kindel, drawing in a breath to apologize, but the Korok held up a hand. "I know what you're going to say, so don't. It was Gulong's fault. We'll repair it."

Epona sat faithfully at the foot of the cliff where Link had left it, ever the faithful steed. Link used the Gust Bellows to reach the bottom of the cliff and placed the item back in Zelda's pouch with a sense of finality. Hopefully the Deku Leaf would be fixed soon – there was no way he would be able to zip around with the Gust Bellows strapped to his back.

Starting Epona's engine, Link watched as Kindel jumped on top of the mudguard. "Where to next? That marsh Gulong was talking about?"

"Moruge Marsh," Kindel affirmed, and Link raised an eyebrow.

"Hold up just a second. We're going to _Morgue Marsh?_ As in, the place where they put dead people marsh? That's not ominous at all." Taking out Zelda's map, Link scrutinized the inked features for a moment before finding the marsh. It was a patch of mustardy-brown, with a single block of text to the side written in Zelda's neat script.

 _Spirits: Remains of the living, 'wisps of smoke not yet blown out by the wind.' (The Ballad of the Goddess, p.394, paragraph 2)_

"It's _Morgue_ Marsh, you idiot."

"Well, this is going to be a cakewalk." Link groaned. "Nothing like a healthy heaping of ghosts to brighten up your day. Let's do this."

"I like the way you think. We came, we saw, we kicked ass!" Kindel gestured forward. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

The marsh was a short distance away from the looming mountains, which soon faded to the distance and were replaced with a damper, more humid climate. Clouds stacked like bricks in the sky, forming a solid slab of forbidding gray, and the air took on the tang of a rainstorm. Link pushed Epona harder to reach the marsh before the storm opened up on them, and a light drizzle had started to fall from the sky when the trees started to rise.

The world slowly fell beneath a few feet of scummy water, broken by needle-thin trees jutting from the water at all angles. Curls of mist swept between the tree trunks, and the sky seemed to darken tenfold as Link approached the edges of the swamp. When he dismounted from Epona his boots sank down an inch in the mud, which stuck stubbornly to the soles of his shoes as he tried to move away from the motorcycle.

"Just the way I like it – roughing it." Kindel grumbled, leaping lightly from the top of the mudguard. "Onward, then!"

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the song Strangers In The Night because it always comes up on my shuffle playlist and I literally hate it so much 0/10 would not recommend. What does this have to do with fanfiction? Um...**

 **Thanks as always for reading! Really and truly, you guys make this stuff worth writing :)**

 **Until next time!**


	49. An Origin Story

**Who else is infinitely glad it's Friday? Welcome back! (I'm going to see Dr. Strange tonight, so no spoilers!)**

 **And a side note: This chapter is a little more graphic than the ones beforehand, so you may want to read with caution if you're squeamish. Just a heads-up :)**

 **Read on!**

Link had been to swamps before. It wasn't his first rodeo with rotting wood, mossy water and that goddesses-awful stench of _eau de moldering dead scaly creatures._ But this swamp had to be the worst of all of them.

First came the bones.

The skull was massive, as long as Link's forearm, perched on a bent tree stump like a menacing sign. Empty eye sockets bored into Link, the remains of some long-dead beast watching travelers with eerie caution. Kindel was careful to sidestep the tree – as best he could, seeing as he was practically wading in the swamp stink given his height.

"Kind of ominous, don't you think?" Kindel nodded to the bleached-white skull, shuddering slightly. "Wonder what did that thing in."

Link shuddered as well, remembering for a moment the massive Forest Golem from the last time he had visited a swamp. There weren't many pleasant memories.

The going had been pretty normal by Hero-of-the-goddess standards before Link's foot punched through a Hylian ribcage. The slime on the surface of the water cleared to reveal a grinning skull staring up at Link, hands clenched together in the image of prayer. Yelping with surprise, Link stumbled backwards, taking half of the skeleton with him as he fell, and bones flew through the air as he fell into the water. Kindel narrowly dodged a metacarpal bone, ducking behind a bush as the white fragments splashed into the water.

"Who was _that?"_ Link gasped, shaking his foot to free it from the crushed ribcage.

"I don't think I want to know." Kindel groaned from his hiding place, sounding ill. Link didn't blame him – if he ended up overthrowing Gangstadorf like the whole world seemed so keen on his doing, his first movement would be to annihilate every swamp in Hyrule.

"Do you think it's possible to annihilate every swamp in Hyrule?" He asked Kindel.

"I wish I could," Kindel grumbled, brushing muddy mulch from his shoulders.

The further they progressed into the swamp the darker and darker it became. Parts of the ground were raised, allowing fairly easy passage between the thickly clustered trees, while others required Link and Kindel to wade through feet of rancid water the consistency of pudding. Really it was Link wading; Kindel was getting his fair share of swimming in and didn't seem too happy about it. It didn't take Link long to realize that Moruge swamp was no ordinary swamp, though.

The bones appeared more and more frequently, until Link became used to seeing them. Half-formed skeletons of odd creatures protruded from the ground, peeking with eyeless sockets at the two as they passed. Fingers and toes sowed the ground like seeds, poking at Link's boots when he walked, and once Kindel was blocked by a giant femur the size of a house. The bone had been hollowed and gnawed at until it barely resembled its original shape, and a scurrying echoed from the inside of the cubbyholes and tunnels that freckled its surface.

"Kindel?" Link ventured, stepping carefully over a fallen log.

"Yeah?"

"All of these bones here... Something in the swamp must have killed them, right?"

"Look at you, quite the optimist." Kindel growled, sounding as though he was steeling himself. "Why can't the silent realms be somewhere nice and sunny? Maybe a tropical island? Warm sand under your feet, the sun beating down, with a significant lack of _dead people_ and _rotting things_ and _ghosts._ "

Link froze, mid-way over the collapsed bones of what appeared to be an ancient Lizalfos. "Wait a second. Ghosts?"

Kindel paled, turning to Link. "You mean you don't see them?"

"Very funny. Yeah, that's rich." Link rolled his eyes, stepping over the Lizalfos. A gleaming bronze shield shone from the muddy ground, left over from its dead master. Waiting until Kindel wasn't looking, Link reached down and wrenched the shield from the ground. It was Korok sized, and he placed it in Zelda's pouch for later.

"Link, I'm serious." Kindel called, a few paces behind.

"And I'm Gangstadorf. Look, Kindel, if you wanted to be –"

" _Look!_ Dead ahead!" The Korok raised a trembling hand, pointing at a space over Link's shoulder. "Look, between those trees! No. It's magic, it's a mirage. It can't be."

Ducking under a low-hanging branch, Link peered through a fork in the trees, squinting to make out the forms of any supernatural being. "I dunno, I don't see anything. Are you sure it wasn't your imagination? You haven't been drinking, have you?"

"Ugh, shut up."

"Because if you've been hitting the hard stuff –"

" _Shut up, Link!"_ It was a barking command, and Link whirled at the sound of Kindel's seething voice. The Korok seemed absolutely furious, balled fists trembling with rage. Raising his hands, Link backed away a step.

"Okay, point made. I'll shut up."

Kindel didn't respond, merely stormed past Link and foraged deeper into the swamp. Still puzzling over Kindel's sudden change of mood, Link followed.

The swamp only seemed to grow stranger as Link wandered on. Phantom lights popped up beyond the twisted boughs of the trees, glowing a vibrant red in the darkening hues of the oncoming night. Sunbursts of crimson and orange beckoned to Link as he walked, but he forced himself to stay on a straight course to the center of the swamp, trailing after Kindel as he hiked. The roots of the trees splayed out further, greedily gripping at chunks of the earth with wrinkled hands. If Link's eyes weren't deceiving him the roots appeared to _move,_ writhing subtly and slithering in and out of sight as he passed. One root even snaked around his ankles, and he beat it back with the hilt of the Master Sword. The silence was deafening, punctuated by eerie hisses and wails from deep within the swamp.

A flicker of white flashed at the edge of Link's vision and he saw what appeared to be a curl of smoke darting through the trees. It wove closer and closer to him, with fluid motions all too natural to be mere mist, and his heart leaped to his throat when he saw what – or rather, who – it was.

Zelda stood before him, one hand pressed against the bark of a leaning tree. Her hair was disheveled, the short strands flying about her head in a sort of halo, and her dress was torn and fraying at the hems. Streaks of dirt peppered her hair and skin, but to Link she had never looked more beautiful.

He was frozen where he stood, absolutely unprepared for what he was seeing. Zelda, standing before him, unharmed. All at once the air was too thin and he was stumbling forward, leaping over trees and streams to reach her...

His hand rested on the leaning tree where Zelda had paused moments before, but her figure now stood mere yards away. With a rustle of her torn dress she turned, casting him the barest of smiles over her shoulder, and darted away through the trees. Link was about to chase after her when Kindel kicked him sharply in the shins.

"Hey! Did you see her? She was just..." The euphoria in Link's chest deflated when reality set in. "Shit. Now I'm the idiot."

"It wasn't too hard to guess who you were chasing after, lover boy." Kindel replied grimly. "Come on, we can't be much farther."

Link was torn as Kindel directed him back to the path, glancing over his shoulder to see if any wisp of the phantom still remained. It had been so real, perfectly matching each of Zelda's features. For a moment it had seemed like it truly was her...

Shaking his head, he cleared the thoughts of Zelda out of his mind. Zelda was gone, and he was wasting time wandering off. Time that she spent in the clutches of Gangstadorf, no less. Cursing himself, Link hurried back onto the path and after Kindel, keeping his eyes on his boots and not on the flickering lights that teased at his vision, brilliant blooms of red like candlelight.

The next Lizalfos Link stumbled across seemed much fresher than the first one. Tattered bits of skin and flaking muscle clung to the bones, and the foul stench that emanated from the corpse nearly made Link gag. A horde of maggots crept over the Lizafos' flesh, burrowing under the peeling skin. The one body wasn't all, though. Link peered into the darkness to see more corpses propped against trees, half-submerged in the water. The smell made Link's eyes water and he forced himself to breathe through his mouth and control his stomach.

"Well, this is pleasant." Kindel swore, hopping over the shredded leg of what Link guessed to be a Hylian. "This is just great. I get to ferry the Hero around and hang out with mausoleum rejects, who are decaying over my best outfit. Wonderful. Absolutely peachy."

Link started to wade through a small recess in the ground, leaping back when his boot made contact with a form underwater. The shape surfaced to reveal a moldering skull, the back of which had been bashed in by some blunt object. Link quickly stepped out of the water, controlling the urge to be violently sick over the nearby shrubbery.

"What _is_ this place?" Kindel asked, voice thick with disgust and loathing.

"Your guess is as good as mine, pal." Link replied weakly, fixing his eyes on the trees, which were thankfully body-free.

There was a faint shift in the air, a sharp breeze that cut through Link's clothes and chilled him to the core. One by one the phantom lights that had been tailing Link and Kindel winked out, plunging the swamp into near darkness. Only Link's sloshing footsteps sounded above the distant wail of the wind, setting Link's hair on end. He stepped forward cautiously, holding the Master Sword before him.

"I don't like this, Kindel. I think there's something going on here." He muttered, edging forward inch by inch

"You think I'm having the time of my life?" Kindel replied, the edge in his voice returning. The Korok slowly sidled closer to Link, though, illuminated in the faint glow of the Master Sword's blade. "Look, the trees spread out more up ahead. I bet that's where the silent realm is."

The denseness of the woods certainly lessened as Link stepped forward, the ground sloping beneath his feet in a bowl shape until he was submerged up to his thighs in the foul water. Kindel picked his way across the surface of the scum by leaping from tree to tree with liberal use of magic. They were making fair progress across the lake when the green light came.

At first Link thought it was a sign he had reached the silent realm, and he released a long sigh of relief. An emerald sunburst bloomed from beneath the water, illuminating the thick roots and mystery chunks floating in the water – and the strange figures rising from the deep.

Link was still rattled from his run-in with phantom Zelda. A thousand emotions collided within him like jewels in a kaleidoscope, and he was still confused when the first bony hand gripped his ankle.

For an undead creature the thing was incredibly strong, and Link downed about a gallon of swamp sewage when he was pulled below the surface of the water. Emerald light pulsed behind his eyelids as legions of the strange shapes rose from the murky bottom of the lake, shadows in the dim underwater light. With a mighty kick Link freed himself from the grip of his captor and searched for the source of the attack. The dragon's scale glowed faintly beneath his shirt, providing the smallest flash of light in the misty darkness.

The bottom of the lake was filled with some sort of amphibious weed that plunged from the mud, forming a veritable forest of kelp-like plants. Drawing the Master Sword, Link pushed aside a handful of the stuff and stepped forward into the darkness. The plants glowed green with the alien light as he progressed forward, searching for the shapes that had disappeared as quickly as they had come.

He didn't have to search long – when he turned around one of the wraiths stood directly behind him. Link jumped and yelped with surprise, jabbing the Master Sword forward, and the blade slid neatly between the creature's skeletal ribs. Its bulbous head tilted to the side as if confused, stringy hair floating about its head. Jaundiced, pupilless eyes stared at Link as it bared its teeth in a grimacing smile, revealing stubby teeth and sharp canine fangs sharpened to points. The creature raised its hands and clutched Link's skull tightly, its nails digging into his scalp, and the emerald world dissolved in a gust of smoke.

It was like the Forest Golem all over again, as the creature burrowed its way into his mind, dug into his consciousness with sharp-tipped claws. Link tried to struggle, to somehow free himself from the thing's grip, but with every second his ties to reality were growing thinner and thinner... The thick, reeking scent of the swamp was replaced with the acrid smell of something far sharper, and the cool recesses of the lake became licked with flame.

To Link the world was cold, a wash of horror spreading over him that froze him in his tracks and scrubbed his mind blank with pure terror.

 _No. Anything but that night._

The more he struggled the sharper the pain in his mind became until it felt as if the creature was smiting his forehead with a battleax. The burrowing heat grew deeper and deeper until it pulsed at the core of his heart, burned and singed and devoured hungrily. Edges of black crept at Link's fading vision, flecked with red and orange and the greedy tongues of flame. The muddy ground of the lake faded to cool cobblestones and Link once more tried to pull himself away, but the creature held him fast.

And the world changed altogether.

It was Castle Town, but a form of Castle Town he had long since forgotten. The building seemed more imposing, taller, with their apexes scraping the sky like great mountains. The midnight air was pitch-black, and a sharp wind in the air bit through Link's thin garments. Garments that had been meticulously patched and sewn, Link noted as he looked down. His feet were bare on the stones of the streets, dirty from the filth that seemed to lurk in every nook and cranny of that old neighborhood. His home.

A firestorm erupted from the building to his right, an explosion that knocked him from his feet and into the side of a nearby car. The wailing alarm mixed with the chorus of screams that started to rise, mingled with the heavy stench of smoke that thickened in Link's lungs and sneaked through the narrow streets like a snake. Already the blaze was racing up the siding of the apartments, a web of searing heat that pressed down on Link at all angles. Against all reason he darted back into the house, scrambling through the rooms in search of something, anything that could rescue them. The suffocating heat nearly choked him as he pressed on, charging through doors and crying out their names.

"Link! It's not safe here!" A voice called from the far room, and a powerful figure burst through the doors, grabbing his arm and dragging him back to the door. "Go back to the street! I'll come with your mother!"

Link fell limp in the man's arms with shock and terror, tilting his head up to get a look at the man's face, but it was obscured by smoke and blurred tears. "Go!" The man – his father – barked, and Link twisted on his heels, running back to the doorway. He placed a hand on the wood and looked back at the apartment, the only home he had ever known, slowly filling with blackened smoke and the smothering heat of the fire. He didn't know what made him pause there, staring after his father as his figure mingled with the smoke, fading out of sight.

A hand was on his back, shoving him back to the street as a plume of fire burst from a window, scattering molten-hot glass onto the sidewalk. The screams mingled in deafening harmony as the now-homeless fled from the burning building, clutching their wounds and crying the names of their parents, spouses, and children. The symphony of despair shattered in Link's eardrums as he was tugged away from the door, shoved back to safety as the column of smoke spiraled higher and higher into the sky. Higher than any of the skyscrapers, right up to the goddesses in the heavens Link had heard so much about.

Where were the goddesses now? The childish question rang true in his mind as he watched the embers leap and blaze. Where were his parents?

The support beams of the apartments started to groan and buckle, too damaged by the fire to bear their load. Link knew what happened next, but he kept his eyes trained on the apartments as the swaths of flame stretched across the rooftops, searing into the wood from top to bottom. Nothing was spared, every girder and pillar and window giving way under the monumental heat. The temperature of the street had reached a broiling intensity and the tires of cars started to burst with the swelling heat.

The telltale crack echoed in Link's mind as it did so often in his memories. The shift of the roof as it caved, the building seeming to warble on its foundation as it shifted left, then right, deep cracks splitting the beams as it began to crumble and fall. Link was screaming their names now, but all sound was deaf to him save a ringing that reverberated in his skull on and on and on...

In a moment it was over. The walls folded, the upper floors collapsing onto the lower ones, magnificent destruction. Perhaps the screams rang even louder, or perhaps they stopped. Link didn't know. He only knew the pounding of his feet against the cobblestones, the arms of strangers yanking him back as he launched himself towards the rubble. They didn't understand – his father and mother were in there, they were in there when the building fell. Somehow they were still alive, somehow he would save them. Trauma, shock and a slew of chemicals boiled in his brain as he watched, falling limp as the plume of smoke erupted from the debris.

With a clap of thunder it began to rain, explosion upon explosion, thundering in his brain matter. The flames weren't dissuaded by the downpour, seeming to rise ever higher as they licked at the sky, as is begging the goddesses for more victims.

Link did the only thing he could ever do – he tore himself away from the strangers and he ran. Dodging into an alley, swiping the tears away from his eyes with child-sized fists, gulping back the tears of lost innocence. And as he pulled himself up, straightening ever so slightly, he looked up to see a sight that had been buried in his memories before, lost in the mass of sorrow and fear and searing anger.

A dark figure stood, clothes snapping in the wind and dripping with the sudden rain. He stood powerfully built against the sky, a solid frame silhouetted against the angry red of the flames, the flickering heat of the dying fire. A hood hunched over his face, but Link was able to make out the barest trace of features under the shadows. Eyes as sharp as the blade of a knife, a wide-stretched smile Link had grown to know so well.

The figure looked down at Link almost sympathetically, spared him the barest of smiles. After admiring his handiwork for a moment longer, he turned on his heel sharply and stalked away, disappearing into the night.

Rage like never before filled Link and he screamed like a wounded animal, his vocal cords straining as he lunged after the figure with every intent to murder. The vision jolted back into reality as a golden light seared Link's eyes, too bright for him to look at directly. The golden power from the Triforce repelled the creature latched onto his skull, and Link allowed the power to take over, guiding his movements as he lunged forward with the Master Sword held at ready.

It was fighting as Link had never experienced before, with the Master Sword less of a weapon and more an extension of his body. It responded to every whim, and he felt as it he could command it with a mere thought. He forced his way through the body of wraiths, cutting them down easily, and not a single beast could raise a sword to defend themselves against his wrath. Blood tainted the water crimson – whether it was his or the wraiths', he didn't care. His eyes were only on the next opponent, the next charge. Bones broke under his blows, blood poured like fountains as he tore through the masses. Link kept slashing and stabbing until everything under his feet was dead and then some, brutally mutilated by the Master Sword's blade.

Adrenaline pounded at his head, his heart, filling his chest with the tempo of battle, but this battle was done. Slowly he pulled himself up from the lake, dragging his limbs out of the water and onto the bank of the swamp, where he thrust the Master Sword into the mud and waited. The chirp of crickets croaked somewhere in the distance, mingled with the trembling leaves of the trees. Peace after the storm, Link supposed.

As Link leaned his head back to the sky, he made a solemn swear upon every star that burned there.

"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to make him bleed."

 **so we FINALLY FIND OUT SOME BACKSTORY**

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to: What do you think about Link's promise? What could possibly happen next? I'm all ears.**

 **Thanks as always for reading! Until next time!**


	50. Demons

**AYY CHAPTER FIFTY! *releases confetti***

 **This is seriously huge for me (and for you too!) because you've stuck with Remnants for FIFTY CHAPTERS!**

 **Ignore me totally freaking out over here... Read on!**

A scream split the calm of the night, sharp and brittle, breaking with fragments of pure fear. Terror and rage washed over the lake, rippling the water and rustling the souls that clung to the blood on Link's boots. He was on his feet in less than an instant, sword drawn. Again the power of the Triforce pumped through his veins, every sense sharpened. The world was thrown into harsh, detailed relief, every sight and sound laid bare before Link's eyes. It was easy for him to identify the source of the sound – Kindel.

As soon as he saw the Korok the adrenaline rushed out of Link's body. Kindel stood perched on the log like he had been before Link submerged, but his body was contorted with terror, limbs twisting away from the hands that reached forward from the water. It took Link a moment to realize that the wraiths reaching for Kindel were dead, drifting aimlessly in the water, but their power was still poisoning the Korok's mind. Leaping into the water, Link crossed the distance between him and the Korok, plunging the Master Sword between the wraiths' ribs for good measure, and kicked his way closer to the log. The water had already begun to reek of their foul, curdling blood.

"Kindel! Kindel, it's me!" He found a foothold on a root under the water and started to push himself up, but Kindel stumbled backwards. He released another strangled cry, utter panic cracking his voice. In the emerald light the pitted scars on Kindel's face stood in sharp relief. Link saw that Kindel recoiled as if in pain from the visions brought on by the wraiths.

"No!" Kindel cried, tears streaming down his face. Raw emotion tore at his voice, his motions, as he pulled himself further away from Link. His tiny frame was trembling uncontrollably, mingled with rage and fear. "Alder, no!"

Link paused, a stabbing feeling punching at his stomach. Of course the worst memory the wraiths scrounged up for Kindel was something he had caused. Anger seared at Link's heart and he pushed himself up, snatching Kindel's arm and pulling him back towards the water.

"Kindel, come on, it's just a vision. We need to go!" He barked, and Kindel fell limp on the log, shaking so hard that Link was hardly able to hold onto him. Guilt replaced his anger and he released Kindel, remembering the trauma of reliving that night from so long ago. He could only imagine what Kindel was going through. Even so, they had to move.

"Kindel!" He roared, splashing a handful of water in the Korok's face. Kindel gasped sharply, standing rigid on his perch, then sagged with exhaustion as the magic of the wraiths faded. His eyes met Link's now clearly focused, and they filled with black flames of hate.

" _You!"_ Kindel screamed, lunging for Link's face, hands outstretched. "You killed him! You killed them all!"

Link was barely able to draw up his hands in time before Kindel clawed madly for his eyeballs, struggling against Link with every scrap of his might. A lancing pain jerked up Link's arm and warm blood tricked down his arm. _Kindel just stabbed me!_ Clutched in the Korok's tiny fist was a shiv-like flint of rock, dappled red with blood. More annoyed than harmed, Link shoved Kindel back into the log and splashed him with water again, to no effect.

"I'm going to kill you!" Kindel boomed, and a percussive blast threw Link backwards to the bank of the lake, slamming him forcefully into the firm, sloping ground. As he recovered his breath Kindel summoned a gust of wind to propel himself across the lake and lobbed a green-tinted ball of flame at Link, which fell wide and exploded above Link's head. The sound was deafening and Link stumbled away, drawing his shield to deflect Kindel's next attack. He could tell the power of the wraiths was waning, though, as Kindel slowly lowered himself to the ground, and his attacks ceased altogether.

Link peeked out from behind the protection of his shield to see Kindel's small form crumpled on the ground, shaking. Still cautious, he edged forward a step, and Kindel responded by slamming his fist into the ground. Massive roots clawed their way out of the ground, churning the earth in a circle around Kindel, and Link hastily backtracked to avoid being swallowed by the twisting vines.

He understood that Kindel was still recovering from the wraith attack, but this was not the time for an existential crisis. Sheathing the Master Sword, he set his shield on the ground and held his hands up in surrender. Kindel's gaze was firmly fixed on the ground, but Link hoped he could appreciate the gesture.

"Kindel, I know you're upset."

A derisive snort sounded from the huddled form, pure malice. "Goddesses, I hate you sometimes. What a very Hero thing to say."

Indigence sparked inside of Link, but he forced his voice to remain calm. "I know that you've lost your friends, your family. I understand."

"Do you?" Kindel's head snapped upright, eyes burning into Link's. They were dark like black holes, the eyes of someone already lost. "Because of your blunders my entire _race_ was annihilated. Do you know what it's like to have hot coals searing into your flesh? While the friends you've known and joked with for so long, the ones you told your secrets and fears, crumple to piles of ashes beside you? How you lose everything in one night? Because of some kid who thinks he can change things... It's a wonder I haven't killed you already." Kindel's eyes sharpened with malice, and Link's hands jumped up in an effort to keep Kindel's attacks at bay.

"No, stop. This isn't you, Kindel!"

"Is it?" He sneered. "You and this whole mission. Some age-old treasure hunt, two guys against an army. Don't even try to tell me the Resistance will back you up, we both know they were probably crushed by Gangstadorf."

"But the sleeper cells, the allies in Skyloft..."

" _Bullshit!_ " Kindel screamed, vocal cords straining as the words burned into Link's ears. "Do you realize how utterly stupid you are? You think we can win this thing? You think you can go in with your little leaf parachute and your Hookshot and actually _nick_ Gangstadorf? People much more powerful have tried, believe me. What makes you any better?"

Bullets lodged in Link's throat, his chest, his heart. Surely Kindel didn't mean what he was saying – but the words struck true. Was their mission really all in vain? Slowly he lowered himself to the ground, perched on his heels, and he met Kindel's gaze levelly.

"Kindel. You're upset and scared, and I get that. I can't pretend to understand your personal woes, and I can't just tell you to get over them. If our quest is truly as lost as you say it is, you can walk out now."

The words caused the desired effect in the Korok – his head leaped up with surprise. "Leave? Right now?"

"Yes." Link's eyes drilled into Kindel's, watching the hate slowly drain from them. "If it is in your best interest to leave me to my own way, I understand."

A motley of emotions swam over Kindel's expression: confusion, anger, vivid pain, and finally acceptance. He lowered his head and vanished the roots with a wave of his hand. "I will go with you on one condition."

Link certainly hadn't been expecting that. He was hoping Kindel would apologize profusely and take point again for the silent realm, nice and easy. "What's that?"

This time Kindel met Link's gaze evenly. "You need to tell me what you saw."

Immediately Link recoiled, pulling away from Kindel. The wounds were too fresh, reopened too vigorously by the wraiths. "No. Kindel, I won't."

"Some wise old guy once said our strength is in our weaknesses. I don't know if that's true or not, but it's only fair that I know what burdens you. Besides, you know as well as I do - you need me to help you along." It was easily the most curious conversation Link had ever conducted with the Korok, notably free of sarcasm. The sensation was strangely liberating, and Link let out a slow breath.

Why didn't he want Kindel to know about that night?

Maybe he didn't want the Korok to see him bleed.

"I was just a kid at the time. No one knows how the fire started, it was all a big mystery. Gas main, someone left the oven on, who knows?" Link laughed sharply, an acidic taste on his tongue. "We never had a lot of money – any money, actually – so our apartment was pretty cheap. It went up in minutes. Dad sent me outside, said he was going to get my mom. By the time I was safe the supports had burned through."

He paused, feeling the swell of emotions hot and raw in his throat. "We found their bodies a few days later. They made me identify my mother. I had to use her wedding ring." Bile burned at his stomach, but he forced it down and continued. He would not let Kindel see his weakness. He would never let anyone see. "Her hand was clutched in dad's. When the cops thought I wasn't looking one of them took the ring and put it in his pocket. I'm sure he sold it for a few rupees in the black market. You don't know how long I looked for that ring."

For a moment Link wondered if he was going to be sick – revealing the truth to Kindel tore away the layers of protection he had spent so long erecting, and the pain was too fresh. "With them gone I had to live on my own. When I was old enough to fight I earned some money in the arena, scraping by on winner's bonuses. You learn to fend for yourself after a while. Are you happy, Kindel? Is that what you wanted to know?"

The familiar anger was back, twisted with the agony stabbing at his heart. "Would you like me to go into vivid detail about their bodies when I found them? Or tell you the specific amount of terror and fear in the screams I heard? How I spend every day of my life wishing I had dragged my father out with me? And that's not even the worst part."

To Kindel's credit, he remained silent as Link continued. "I ran. I was just a kid, I didn't have anywhere to go. And there he stood in all his might, watching the fire and _smiling._ "

It was a single tear, but it burned like lava, the stinging failure pressing at his chest. "Link, I –" Kindel began, stepping forward.

"No, Kindel, you don't _get_ it. When you live on the streets you can't show weakness. Lie belly-up for one minute and they're on you with daggers drawn. Don't you see that?" He snapped, rounding on Kindel. "I've spent so long burying that night because I _had to._ Don't you get that?"

The Korok stepped forward, walking over the upturned earth until he stood before Link's knee. A slow burn spread across Link's arm and he watched the skin knit back together, the blood wiped away. "No, I don't get it. This is can heal." He pointed to Link's arm. "But that is up to you." His finger pointed to Link's heart.

"I guess we're both idiots, huh?" Link rocked back onto his heels, laughing shortly.

"Yeah, I guess we are." Kindel agreed. They both sat back and observed the calm of the lake for a moment. The bodies of the wraiths had fallen below the surface, giving the impression of a calm, harmless scene. The emerald light still warbled under the water, casting a green glow across the darkening sky.

Rising to his feet, Link brushed off his knees and surveyed the lake with renewed interest. "How much do you want to bet the silent realm's in that hellhole?"

"Weren't you the one complaining about money a while ago? A Rupoor, you miser." Kindel griped. Is was comforting to hear the Korok's usual sarcasm, but Link could detect that something had changed. An understanding, maybe.

He was still rattled after the wraith encounter and Kindel's outburst, and was certainly not in the mood to embark upon some daring and dangerous Guardian-filled quest. The green light seemed to beckon to him, though, and soon his boots were shuffling unwillingly down the bank.

"Link!" Kindel called after him, and Link glanced over his shoulder to see the Korok looking rather woeful. "For Hyrule, right?"

Of course, this whole this was much bigger than him. Hyrule didn't hinge on that one night, Hyrule didn't care how many of his fears were laid bare. Hyrule, and Zelda, for that matter, needed rescuing. And he was the only one to do it.

So why did he feel so reluctant?

The filthy water lapped up to his knees, his waist, then against the dragon scale hidden beneath his clothing. The scale illuminated with a faint blue glow, barely visible under the lake's scummy, blood-clouded surface, and Link took in a breath before he dove under.

The water smelled as repulsive as it looked, the metallic scent of wraith blood and about a thousand species of decaying animals to boot. Wrinkling his nose, Link released his breath and kicked his way deeper under the water, shoving aside tree-like fronds of slimy underwater plants. He nearly gave himself a heart attack when one of the fronds slid aside to reveal the paralyzed form of a dead wraith, stringy hair floating about its head like a halo and arms still poised to strike. Link watched the body out of the corner of his eye until it faded from sight, half expecting it to strike.

The emerald light turned out to be a brilliant beam that wove itself through the silty floor of the lake, forming intricate patterns with beads of glowing green. Link was able to bring himself to the bottom of the lake, feet swirling a coat of dead leaves and rotten wood around his ankles as he landed. In the light of the silent realm's beacon the underwater scene seemed eerily alien, everything sharply defined and shadowed, with an undulating landscape that never ceased to move. Of course, the silent realm couldn't be much better.

Drawing the Master Sword, Link held the blade before him. Its silvery glow reflected the jaded color beneath the water, each pinprick of light mirrored perfectly in its gleaming blade. Link rubbed a smear of wraith blood from the tip, a feeling of dread curdling in his stomach, and he raised the blade above his head, ready to strike.

With a sure motion the Master Sword sunk deep into the soft dirt beneath the lake, nearly up to the hilt, and a cold, rushing sensation filled Link as his spirit was drawn from his body and shifted to the silent realm.

The familiar blues of the landscape flashed behind Link's eyes as he shook his head with disorientation. Once he regained his bearings he opened his eyes in anticipation of what shape the silent realm would take this time – and stumbled backwards the next second, disgust and terror boiling within him.

He _knew_ this place, the scene that burned in his mind with fresh, white-hot embers. Soaring tree trunks, blackened and burned until unrecognizable. Deep pitfalls where shells had dug into the earth, cloaking the forest in an inferno. The twisting, crude remains of bridges and banners, hanging limply from frayed strings.

And the bodies, preserved in their entirety in the silent realm. The fallen figures of Koroks, already degrading to the elements. He saw minuscule feet poking out beneath a heap of rubble, and the wailing face of a Korok screaming silently mere yards away. The world was frozen in a snapshot of fear and terror and death that shoved its way down Link's throat and choked him. Tears sprang to his eyes and he crouched over, emptying his stomach in the middle of the protective circle.

Link noticed the Guardians next, their straight-backed forms glowering down at him with a vengeance. Pairs of dulled red eyes shone from nooks in the tree branches, hidden behind piles of smoking wood and fallen trees. A Watcher hovered over a crater, perfectly illuminating the half-sphere of destruction carved into the earth.

The first tear was located mere yards away from the protective circle. It hovered where the main route between the trees began, stretching into darkness out of Link's view. Two Guardians flanked the entrance to the Forest Village, and Link tried to judge their distance from his location. A familiar seed of worry bloomed within his gut as he observed. The Guardians would reach the tear before he would, even if he was sprinting. He would have to evade them somehow.

The low groaning of trees penetrated the quiet and Link looked up to see a mass of fallen wood and flaming lanterns suspended by thick, and quickly fraying, ropes. What used to be a bridge suspended the debris directly above the heads of the Guardians, almost waiting to collapse on their unsuspecting victims.

Link glanced around his feet for a few moments before locating a heavy plank of wood. Hefting it to his shoulder, he raised his eyes to the creaking bridge and prepared to strike. He would only have chance to execute the attack once before the Guardians struck him and voided the three seconds he had stood in the silent realm. There wasn't terribly much to lose, but Link proceeded to the edge of the protective circle with caution.

Instead of focusing on the fallen Koroks that lay preserved around him, he turned his attention to the tasks of the silent realm ahead. He would not – could not – dwell on the past here. Weakness would only diminish his chances of survival.

Link hesitated on the edge of the circle, pondering this thought? Was that what the goddesses wanted? A tactical killing machine, never bending under the slightest ounce of pressure? Who turned a blind eye on the Koroks forever burning at his feet? So disconnected from the world that he knew only his next mission?

No, Link would not allow himself to fall that low. But right now the silent realm needed to be finished, and Link could wrangle with his demons later.

Launching himself forward, Link cocked his arm back and swung, releasing the wooden plank as it spiraled to the sagging bridge. The sharp impact dislodged the debris just as the Guardians snapped their heads upright, eyes blazing like infernos as they bore down at Link. The first Guardian had barely dropped its sword before the crushing load of wood and building material collapsed on it, crushing its spindly limbs easily.

A percussive blast thundered from the Guardians as their bodies snapped, a tidal wave of energy coursing from the broken bodies that threw Link off his feet and backwards. A shrill ringing pulsed in his ears as he stood, palms bloodied from breaking his fall but otherwise unhurt. Where the Guardians had stood remained a seared section of bare earth and smoking bits of wood. The tear remained unchanged from the attack.

Treading carefully, Link collected the tear and the angry hues of the silent realm tricked back to a muted blue. He had never destroyed a Guardian before at this close a range, and the effect was particularly – well, explosive.

He took a second to catch his breath, then started scanning the wide stretch for any sign of a tear. It was almost impossible to keep his eyes trained on the doorways of houses instead of the flickering flames and the screaming faces of Koroks that collapsed below his knees. As he jogged Link noticed the impressive architectural feats the Koroks had performed in the making of the Forest Village. Houses stacked atop each other in neat, orderly rows, carved directly into the trunks of ancient trees. Banners streamed from every window, and ash-flecked rows of flags flickered at the corners of his vision. Some of the houses even had bridges sprouting from their doorways fastened tightly with an intricate knob of knots sealed within the wood.

A sharp crack thundered from above Link's head and he looked up to see a massive bridge twist and flex on its bindings, tearing loose from the ropes that shackled it to the trunks of trees. Slabs of wood snapped and fell down towards him, followed by a _snap_ that echoed in Link's ears as the bridge tumbled directly towards him.

He dove into the nearest house, covering his head with his hands as the bridge shattered on the floor of the forest, filling the air with splinters and wood shavings at it fractured. When the rumbling finally ceased Link looked up to see the mass of wood completely blocking his exit – but more startling was the pulsing blue light that illuminated the Korok dwelling he had taken shelter in.

Twisting around, Link saw the luminescent tear of light beckoning to him from the corner. Inching forward, he extended a hand and the tear dissolved into teardrops of light that snaked around his arm and out of sight. _Two down, eight to go._

Now he had to face the problem with the broken bridge. The familiar strain of time pressed at his mind as he tore into the massive slabs of wood, filling his hands with splinters as he threw the wood out of his way and carved a hole large enough to fit through and escape. It had taken far longer than he wished; Link would have to find a tear, and _fast,_ if he wanted to avoid the wrath of the Guardians and Watchers.

The dim glow of a far-off Watcher's lantern shone down at Link as he ran down the stretch of the way, eyes scanning the skies above him for any more threats. The Forest Village had suddenly turned far more formidable in Link's eyes, with leaning structures, twisted trees, and the flickering shadows cast by patches of flame. Even worse were the ashes that trickled down on his shoulders, and for a sickening moment Link wondered if they were from the forest or the fallen form of a Korok.

He found the next tear soon after, its glow cast at the lip of a deep crater. Still wary of threats from above, Link kept his eyes up as he slid down the slope of the crater and into the center. As soon as he glanced as his surroundings he stumbled backwards, one hand held over his mouth with shock and disgust.

The crater contained the prone forms of Koroks, some horribly maimed and twisted from the blast. A few fragments of metal left over from the bomb protruded from the dirt like switchblades, one slicing through the fabric of Link's pant leg easily. Blank eyes stared up at him as Link scrambled away, feet scrabbling for grip as he stumbled away from the atrocious scene that lay before him.

A _crunch_ sounded from the sole of Link's boot and he looked down slowly, realizing that he had just punched a hole through the body of a dead Korok. Slumping to the ground, he fought back his nausea as he carefully extracted his boot from the Korok's chest, now horribly flattened and revealing the grisly damage within.

Panic and shock boiled in Link's mind as he clambered to his feet, trying to force his legs to move and collect the next tear, but he was frozen in his place. The mind-numbing grief slashed through his heart, and he could only watch the bodies of the Koroks that lay before him with overwhelming shame.

He didn't realize that he had run out of time until agonizing pain stabbed through his body, the sword of a Guardian finding its mark, and the silent realm dissolved into nothingness.

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 **Until next time!**

 **(FIFTY CHAPTERS!)**


	51. The Hero Ultimatum

**Welcome back to yet another Friday and yet another chapter of Remnants! Has it been almost a year since I posted the first chapter? Wow...**

 **Anyways, enough with anniversaries and such. Read on!**

When Link's body re-formed in the silent realm he felt no emotion but humiliation. He had failed the silent realm when he had barely started. He had failed Kindel by gaping at the bodies of his dead companions, stunned into paralysis by the ghastly sight. Even Armageddon didn't seem to be in the mood to talk with him, which was sign enough that he was doing something horribly wrong.

Like before, anger and determination surged through Link. He could hurry through the first few tears in minutes and continue his search for the others with time to spare. Steeling himself, he hefted another large section of wood, half of which crumpled in his fingers from fire damage, and hurled it at the wood that hung suspended over the Guardians.

Again the ropes collapsed, but Link braced himself for the explosion and collected the tear in seconds, sprinting for the Korok dwelling where the second tear was hidden. He dashed into the house as the bridge slowly leaned and warped, diving up a narrow staircase after collecting the tear. The window of the second floor, only a few yards from the ground, opened up to emptiness, but Link jumped the short distance onto the pile of rubble and continued on to the crater.

A sort of confidence began to bloom in his chest as he ran, the familiarity of the motions coming back to him as he slid down into the crater. He kept his eyes fixed firmly on the tear, ignoring the sounds beneath his feet and the stench of death that clung to his nostrils. By clawing at the loose dirt with both hands he was able to emerge from the crater far dirtier than before, but unscathed.

He noticed as he climbed that another tear was hovering in the boughs of a tree, shielded from view of the protective circle by a convenient patch of ivy. Two thick vines dangled before Link as he hurried over, each the width of his wrist, with no obvious loops or handholds for him to cling to. He would have to climb the rope with his muscle strength alone.

Link looped one of the vines around his feet, pulling it tightly, and grasped the second vine with one hand. By pulling up with his arms and pushing with his legs he was able to slowly inch higher and higher on the vines. All of the exercise of Hero-ing, combined with the strength he had gained over years of arena brawls, allowed him to power through the climb until he snagged the tear with an outstretched finger. The vines burned beneath his hands as he slid down to the ground and back to the crater's edge, searching for the next tear.

The Great Deku Tree loomed over his head as he wandered, the slightest bit of doubt creeping in towards his confidence. There were no other tears in sight, would he have to search every house to look for them? As he looked up the massive length of the ancient trunk, he realized a key part of the Forest Village wasn't tied to the ground. The village started from the ground, but was built up high into the sky up to the canopy. He would have to go _up._

Choosing no house in particular, Link darted in and bounded up the stairs ten at a time – Korok scale for buildings was much smaller than that of Hylians. His legs began to burn after his stint with the vines compounded with the effort of sprinting up stairs, but soon one of the floors leveled off to a communal pavilion, spanning across a multitude of rooftops. It must have looked nice when it was in decent repair, but heavy branches had punched through the lightweight wooden planks, and the platform was practically covered in a layer of dust, ash and leaves. Link shifted the foliage aside as he walked, careful not to step in a trick spot on the pavilion and begin his one-way trip to the ground floor.

At the edge of the pavilion a rope bridge stretched across a short expanse to a neighboring platform, where a lone tear shone in the shifting shadows. The bridge was surely suitable for Koroks, but the safety ropes barely reached his knees. Moreover, the bridge had been damaged in Gangstadorf's attack, with many slats hanging free from their bindings. Link was very unwilling to test his weight on the thin segments of wood, but he leaned forward on the closest section. The bridge gave a loud wail of complaint but didn't crack under his weight, so he progressed in a half-crouch, keeping his balance low and his hands clutched tightly around the safety ropes.

Many sections of the bridge had torn free altogether, but Link jumped over these and continued on his way. Once he knew the structure wouldn't collapse beneath him it made for quick going across the gap. Link made the mistake of glancing down briefly – the experience was much like his ascent to Eldin Peak, very high and very fear-inspiring. He hurried his pace and reached the opposite platform shortly, swiping the tear and searching for the next one.

A strange sort of sculpture sprouted from the side of the platform, stretching above Link's head, then branching apart and weaving in and out of itself in a ladder-like pattern. With a laugh Link realized the sculpture was like a sort of glorified monkey bars, and he clenched the metal in his fist tightly, allowing his weight to fall slack. He had an increased respect for Korok architects; their projects were surprisingly durable, the metal not budging an inch under him. The textured surface of the bars allowed for strong gripping points, and Link was soon swinging across the length of the drop. Now it was his arms that strained with the pressure of holding himself upright, hands beginning to tremble as he reached the end of the bars.

Unfortunately his efforts were not rewarded with a tear, but a rather depressing scene frozen in time by the silent realm's magic. A taller Korok bent over two younger ones, mouth stretched in a yell as he pointed dramatically to the treetops to Link's right. When Link turned to see what the Korok was pointing at his jaw dropped at the magnificent, sweeping view of the forest, rolling hills of blue and green undulating over Link's vision. Patches of the forest were thrown into harsh relief by the flames, but the sight was uncannily beautiful.

The two younger Koroks both clutched oversized Deku Leaves, hoisting them over their heads in preparation to flee. For a moment Link wondered if they had escaped the fiery fate that befell the rest of the Forest Village. Because they were preserved here did that mean they had perished?

"Thanks for this, kid." Link muttered as he pulled one of the Deku Leaves from the Korok child's grip, holding it over his head and turning back to the main drive of the village. From across the way he could see the faintest glimmer of a tear. As he prepared to jump a harsh blue light drifted into his vision and he froze, heart hammering in his chest at the close call.

A Watcher meandered into view, its lantern bobbing as it hovered over the route Link needed to pass through in order to reach the next tear. Readying himself, Link waited until the Watcher had just cleared his line of sight and leaped for the other side, legs straining to catapult himself as far as he could. The feeling was exhilarating as he shot through the air, gliding down towards his next tear, but that exhilaration was soon replaced with dread when the Watcher rounded and started to come back – directly towards Link.

Cursing profusely, Link tried to spin his body out of the way of the Watcher as it swung back towards his position. His heels barely cleared the burning beam of the lantern as it drifted past, and he fell slightly short of the platform, tugging his way to the wooden surface by tearing at vines to clamber up. The Watcher remained oblivious, strolling onward as Link strained to pull himself up onto the wooden platform.

When he turned around a peculiar sight struck him – the flames of the Forest Village seemed to be cast into a frenzy, lurching free of whatever magic had stilled them while Link was gathering the previous tears. A wash of heat rolled over the silent realm, a sharp change from the usual cool chill. It was slightly unnerving, and Link hurried forward, eager to finish this silent realm and escape from the memories of the Forest Village.

The next platform stood a few yards away, requiring him to leap from tree to tree in order to reach it. It wasn't particularly hard compared to swiping a Deku Leaf from the spirits of long-dead Koroks, and Link breathed a sigh of relief when he reached the other side. On the platform stood a strangely familiar structure: an enormous slingshot was leaned outwards toward the skies, its view facing a gap in the foliage that revealed pinpricks of stars.

Turning back to the slingshot, Link noticed a strange structure built out of the back of the wood. A seat leaned backwards, outfitted with wooden carved arms that swiveled the slingshot along with the seat. Link was impressed – the whole think looked like some kind of ancient anti-aircraft gun.

He leaned forward, eager to give it a try, and noticed the dead Korok slumped over in the seat, an arrow planted in its skull. Forcing himself to stay calm, Link moved the body gently to the ground and sat in the chair, which was a slight squeeze for his notably larger-than-Korok-sized body. The technology was pretty impressive for some scraps of metal and wood – the slingshot responded at to every motion, moving in tandem with the seat as Link swung it back and forth. He loaded a large stone into the leather pouch that hung loose from the wood, and had turned to the skies when the faint buzzing began.

Link's stomach dropped to his shoes and panic spiked in his veins. There was only one time when he had heard that sound before, and it was in the place where he sat at that very moment.

The chatter of gunfire strafed the tops of the trees and Link yanked the seat of the slingshot to the side, trying to align the planes in his scope. They zipped by in seconds, black shadows that seemed to be more like birds than machines. Defeat soured his mood and realized that he would never be able to hit them with a clunky stone. His time was ticking down already from the time he had collected his last tear, and he would fail the silent realm _again._

No, he would not accept that. Gritting his teeth, Link turned back to the sky as the planes looped around and tore back to the Forest Village, guns blazing from afar. He had come too far to fail again, even if he had no chance of hitting those planes from so far away.

It was times like these when he wished Armageddon would show his face. Well, voice.

When the planes zoomed by the second time Link caught sight of a streak of blue in the nearest plane as it sped out of his range. He had only seen it for an instant, but everything fell into place. There was a _tear_ in that plane, and he needed to shoot it down.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the plane with the tear, Link tracked its speed as it wheeled around with the rest of the bombers for another run. He raised the chair higher and adjusted for the plane's velocity, counting off the seconds as the plane darted closer and closer...

Seconds before the plane crossed his sights he launched the boulder into the air, the leather of the slingshot snapping as it thrust its load forward. The rock spun in midair, angling slowly downwards and crunching into the metal of the plane with a solid _thud._ Link whooped with exhilaration as the engine burst into flames and the plane tumbled from the sky, crashing into the treetops in a fiery inferno. The blue tear hovered above the plane, then drifted over the rising canopy all the way into Link's arms. Wasting no time, Link spun out of the slingshot's seat and hurried to the edge of the platform, searching for the path to the next tear.

He was greeted by a single rope stretching to another block of wood, on which a tear innocuously glowed. Link looked down to see a massive, gut-clenching drop yawning below him. If he fell he would break every bone in his body, and be at the mercy of the Guardians and Watchers. Moreover, he had been stripped of his tools when he had entered the silent realm. Even if Armageddon didn't have the nerve to talk to Link anymore, he found no problem with taking Link's stuff.

A rustling sounded above Link's head and he looked up to see the wreckage of a plane thrust into the trunk of an enormous tree, the metal still steaming from the impact. Most of the tree's branches near where Link stood had collapsed and snapped inward, thrusting the spindly sticks at him. A plan sprang in Link's mind and he snatched the largest branch he could find, which was easily longer than he was tall, and held it close to his stomach as he stepped forward.

He had seen street performers in Castle Town do something similar, strolling over clotheslines as if they were sidewalks. Of course, they were professional performers, and they had some sort of weight on either side, but Link was crunched for time and resources. The stick would do.

Tentatively he extended his foot over the rope, balancing his heel in the center of the rope. The fibers flexed and bent beneath his weight but held, and his impromptu pole held his balance relatively well. Sucking in a breath and sending a plea for help to the golden goddesses, Link reached out with his other foot until his entire weight had shifted over the drop.

Beads of sweat pricked at his temples as he brought his foot around and further onto the rope, leg muscles straining as he struggled to keep his balance. The pole wobbled in his hands and he teetered from side to side. As soon as he recovered his balance Link took another step forward, bending his knees to keep his weight lower over the rope. It started to jump and wobble beneath him, nearly sending him tumbling to the ground, but he kept his eyes firmly fixed on the opposite platform, and the tear that seemed to be laughing at him. Releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, Link took another step, and then another. Soon his palms were slick with sweat and he was trembling with exhaustion and fear, but he was making fair progress across the rope.

In less than a minute the tear was mere feet away, and Link slowly extended his hands, releasing the pole and leaping with all his might for the platform. His knees struck the wood and he rolled over, scrabbling for a grip as the tear dissolved beneath his fingers. Brushing himself off, Link stood and observed the tightrope with a sharp spur of pride. The next path to a tear was a bridge, which was child's play compared to the circus act he had been forced to perform moment ago, and he crossed over back into the canopy of trees.

The path to the next tear was well-worn, a twisting trail up the thick boughs of interlacing trees that spiraled for the heavens. Link realized that the path was slowly climbing higher and higher into the air, reaching for the heights of the canopy. When he got a glimpse of the forest from a break in the foliage he saw the face of the Great Deku Tree receding beneath him as he climbed.

Patches of flame raced across the leaves of the trees, but Link was unaffected as he quickened his pace to a run. The winding path climbed higher and higher and his breath was coming short by the time he reached the top of the Great Deku Tree. Blue stars glimmered above his head, casting long shadows down the length of the burning wreckage, flames lapping hungrily at the sky as they strained higher and higher to the treetops. A sweeping view unfolded from the branches of the tree, the world laid out like a chessboard before Link as he stared. Every leaf was thrown into sharp detail, even as they shriveled and wilted with the climbing heat. He would need to claim the last tear quickly and escape before the silent realm went up like a tinderbox.

Turning around, Link saw the final tear hovering over the middle of the Great Deku Tree, its mellow glow unassuming in the light. A grin of relief stretched across Link's face as he picked his way over to he center, hopping from branch to branch as he worked his way over. A single slip-up and the silent realm would be over – he chose his footing carefully until he was within arm's reach of the final tear.

He paused for a moment, as dramatic as it seemed, and thought back to the first silent realm. This was the end, the finale of his supposed spiritual growth. As his hand hovered over the tear, bathed in blue light, Link wondered if he would be changed this time around. He didn't feel particularly brave of cunning, no more so than when he had begun his journey. Maybe he would gain confidence this time around. Frankly, he was glad to be free from the horrid silent realms altogether.

A pang of loneliness struck him as he reached forward, mere inches from the tear. Surely Armageddon would have some sort of comment about the final tear. Where _was_ he?

The moment before Link touched the tear the world washed with an angry crimson, and the tear disappeared in a puff of purple smoke.

Startled, Link leaped backwards and searched the skies for Watchers, expecting them to converge on him at any second. What was happening? Why had the tear simply disappeared? A Watcher swooped low nearby, bangles jangling as it rattled forward, but as Link watched the tip of its robe started to unfurl in a wisp of dark smoke, like it was slowly unraveling into a thread of purple. The smoke surrounded the Watcher, ringing its limbs at it climbed, until nothing was left but a breath of steam that dissipated into the wind.

Link should have relaxed now that the Watchers, and presumably the Guardians, were gone, but his hand reached back for his sword. It gripped empty air and he spat out a curse at Armageddon, half-expecting a response. He was unarmed, defenseless, and now his ticket out of the silent realm had vanished in a wisp of smoke. Was this one of Armageddon's pranks?

But the voice that spoke next thrust any thought of anger out of his mind, replaced by numbing terror and dread that clogged his throat.

"I've got four words for you, young Hero. Long time, no see!"

Link scrambled backwards as another purple wisp formed in the space above the Deku Tree, slowly climbing higher and higher until it formed a churning column of twisting smoke. An acrid smell filled the air as the smoke spun away into nothingness, revealing a figure that filled Link's mind with memories of pain and utter fear, until he was frozen where he stood.

A ragged cloak billowed behind the phantom, cresting on broad shoulders that stretched far above Link's head. Horns curled above the thing's head, tapering to points as sharp as the eyes that bore down at Link, roiling with blue bloodlust. A single sword sat in the phantom's palm, easily taller than a tree, etched with runes that screamed words of terror and sacrifice that chilled Link's blood. The creature was massive, looming over Link's head like the darkest nightmare. He was like an insect compared to it.

Defeat simmered in Link's stomach as the memories of his battle with the phantom came rushing back. Losing Zelda, learning firsthand how sharp that blade was, the burning emotions of the kiss and a thousand other recollections rushed over him, freezing his boots to the branch he stood on. He was unable to speak, unable to breathe, simply watch as Gangstadorf peered down at him, looking rather miffed.

"I wish I could greet you in my full splendor after the whole Clock Town business – I'd love to stick a dagger in your side myself!" The phantom leaned its head back and chuckled, as if Gangstadorf and Link were discussing a mildly humorous joke. "Did you know I had to dispatch practically my full infantry to settle those buggers down? The young girl was particularly fun to put a bullet through, although I would have liked to see her cry."

Every feeling, every emotion over the last day – no, over the entire Hero's journey – boiled to a cold, empty rage. Link welcomed it, allowing the anger to rush through his blood, igniting the Courage that bloomed from his chest, setting the Triforce on his hand into a blazing fury. He stared at the phantom levelly, suddenly ignoring its words and sizing up its weaknesses, the balance of its enormous sword. He analyzed how Gangstadorf paced, his tempo, his stride. Every sense leaped into full gear, and Link flexed his fists, ready for a fight.

He understood the silent realm trials now, complete with the wraiths and the Forest Village. Emotions had long governed Link's time as the Hero. Rage against Gangstadorf, the beautiful mess that was Zelda, Kindel and the Forest Village, the Resistance. Zario, Gulong, everyone that Link had encountered on his journey. Their stories had fused with his, their trials and fears became his own. He had allowed fear and anger to control him for too long, and now he released it in the form of the Triforce.

"You're probably wondering what I did with your silent realm spirit. Killed him" Gangstadorf yawned, patting a hand against his massive phantom mouth. "Rather annoying, that one. It's a shame I can only occupy this lousy form in the silent realm, those blasted goddesses are as tricky as ever. They won't be meddling with us for now, either. You don't know how long I've planned this meeting, Hero."

Link simply watched as Gangstadorf continued, balling his fists as the Gerudo picked his nails on the blade of his sword. "You know how I found you? The trail of blood and hate you leave in your wake. Heroes pretend to be all high and mighty, but you'd just as underhanded as I am. That whole business with the Gorons? Manipulating that girl in Clock Town was something else. And you seem to have Zelda wrapped around your finger as well. I thought she was a bit more keen than that, but everyone has their weaknesses."

Slit-like eyes narrowed as Gangstadorf rounded on Link, lips twisting into a sneer. "And I know your weaknesses, too, Hero. Oh, do I. You're scared shitless with this whole ordeal. You're angry and confused, a thousand emotions steering you no matter how much you try to steer them. I'm surprised you gave into the Triforce that fast, after what you did to that man in Skyloft. Shame." Gangstadorf tutted, then whipped his sword out until the blade rested inches from Link's unprotected chest.

"So let's play, little boy. Let's see if you can avenge those you've stabbed in the back. I want to see you _bleed._ "

 **IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR! Happy Ambigumas and have a satisfactory 365 days of the year.**

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 **Thanks as always for reading! Until next time.**


	52. Blackened Blood

**Yooooo, it's Friday! With an epic boss battle up ahead! What could possibly go wrong?**

 **More to come as you** ** _read on!_**

It was the strangest sensation, everything clear when it should have been hopelessly muddled.

Link was angry, and yet he _wasn't._ He stared up at the looming phantom form of Gangstadorf that leered far above his head, power throbbing through his veins with each heartbeat, and was content to simply wait as the Gerudo blathered.

"You're rather the opposite of your spirit friend," Gangstadorf circled his finger in the air, gesturing to the sky. "That oaf would never shut his mouth. I was tempted to cut out his tongue and dangle it on a string. It would have been rather amusing, watching the thing waggle around. If he weren't a spirit, and, you know, had a corporeal tongue."

"You're stalling." Link growled. "Which seems oddly uncharacteristic of you, seeing as you never saw me as a real threat."

"Oh, I don't." Gangstadorf waved a hand, as if chastising a small child. "Just like Zelda, always psychoanalyzing me. It gets old after a while. As far as I'm concerned, you'll never be a real threat."

A wisp of an emotion drifted from the Triforce-fueled calm that blanketed Link's mind. Hadn't Clock Town done anything? Maybe this was part of Gangstadorf's plan, to demoralize him by making him think his efforts were in vain. Surely all of the silent realms and sacred flames had meant something. Had it all gone to waste?

No, it couldn't have been. The Gerudo was a master of trickery and doubt. Link would find out the truth for himself when he returned to the surface, he was sure of it.

 _Surety..._ He could get used to this.

"It wouldn't be a fair fight without these, I suppose." Heaving a sigh, Gangstadorf splayed his fingers and all of Link's supplies came raining down from the sky. He snatched the Master Sword out of the air as it fell, the blade fitting neatly into his palm as he spun it in a slow arc, feeling the familiar balance of the hilt against his palms. Zelda's pouch fell at his feet and he opened its brim wide, causing all of the other items to zoom into the black expanse that yawned beneath the fabric. Raising his mammoth eyebrows, Gangstadorf even looked impressed.

"Have I ever told you the story about how I rose to power? Please, don't sit down. You must understand, it's a custom of us "bad guys" to monolog before I string your guts out like a fishing line." Gangstadorf mimed air quotes, then swung his massive sword in a wicked backswing that nearly cut Link in two. The air seemed to rush in a slow breeze as the blade swept past, the world slowing to a crawl as Link dodged away. "If you think Castle Town sucks now, it was even worse back in my day. My economic advisors are always telling me big long words about GDP and massive depressions, but I mostly ignore them. And hyperinflation? Come on! Surely chunks of precious gems are worth menial amounts of currency! That's just how the world works!"

Narrowing his eyes, Link tried to judge Gangstadorf's stance. Was he trying to toy with Link, or confuse him? Was the Hero only worth a lazy blow and sarcastic words? The next sword strike came with blinding swiftness, but Link raised the Master Sword and batted the blackened-steel blade of the phantom away, jabbing in quickly to slice at Gangstadorf's arm. The blade sunk in shallowly, and the Gerudo's phantom flinched away.

"All right, I'll admit, you've merited my attention. Knocking down temples, rooting evil out of its most dark abysses, I'll give you that. Planning a slightly successful insurgency, plus one for you. But you really think you can even touch me? Really, I pity you." Three swift strikes, each to opposite sides. Link bounced back on his heels, keeping his weight low and countering every blow as it came. The Master Sword felt like liquid between his hands, bending in whatever direction it needed to go. A cool confidence rested over him as Gangstadorf chattered – he could keep this pace of battle up indefinitely, but Gangstadorf didn't know that. If he could play his new power to his advantage, he might be able to root the phantom out of the silent realm.

"Did you know there used to be gladiatorial games in Castle Town? Now I think they just call them arenas – which you would know about, huh? I think I might have put money on you one time, who knows? I have a soft spot for underdogs, until they stick their little daggers in that soft spot of mine." The phantom's demeanor shifted sharply, swelling larger and bearing down at Link with increased strength and ferocity. Link allowed his shoulders to slump, his chest to rise and fall faster. He wasn't spent in the least, but apparently his act was believable enough. A saccharine smirk spread across the phantom's shadowed lips, eyes falling to slits as it peered at Link.

"A man of few words, huh? How typical. If you want a fight, Hero, I'll give you one. I'll grind you so far into the dirt the Great Deku Tree will be lapping up your remains from the bedrock. You'll water the ashes of the Forest Village with your blood. Hmm, I like that. Penance." The phantom seethed, but Link merely stared at it. The words meant nothing to him, lost in the thrill and the adrenaline of the fight. He measured every move, every gesture, every inch of the phantom's fighting strokes. With no small contribution from the Triforce, he could _possibly_ win this battle.

It was a strangely euphoric feeling, being ahead of the Gerudo overlord himself, and Link couldn't help but smile.

Then the battle began.

Gangstadorf led with an overhead swing, all power directed from his core in a massive stroke that would have split Link into east in west if he hadn't rolled out of the way seconds before. When the phantom's blade bit into the branches of the Deku Tree Link was already scrambling up the fabric of its cloak, pulling great handfuls of the fabric as he tugged his way up. The cloak had an odd habit of half-dissolving into smoke when Link tried to grasp it, but he was swift enough to reach the top of Gangstadorf's arm by the time the phantom had dislodged its sword from the branches.

Link clambered up to Gangstadorf's shoulder, scrambling up to the phantom's ear level before drawing the Master Sword back for a blow to the neck. Before he could strike, though, a current of energy jolted through the phantom's body, throwing Link with ferocity from his perch and back to the branches of the Deku Tree. He fell a yard deeper into the foliage, battered by branches and leaves, before his fall was stopped sharply by a gnarled trunk. Ordinarily he would have been stunned from the blow, but he rose to his feet quickly and clambered up to the surface of the leaves again, where the phantom hovered. Its sword sliced through the air casually, and Gangstadorf's voice was snide when he spoke again.

"Frankly, I had been expecting more of you. That old climb-up-onto-enemies-and-stab-their-weaknesses is far too overused, in my opinion. Is that all you've got?"

A flurry of blows followed, each nearly too fast to block, but Link managed to draw the Master Sword in time to deflect the phantom's sword. As he moved through the motions half-formed plans drifted through his mind, each as improbable as the last. He had Zelda's pouch, and all of his tools within it. But how could he lay down the master of all Hyrule with a glorified leafblower, a shield, and a torn Deku Leaf?

An acrid smell wafted towards Link, and a searing heat began to pulse at his heels. Daring a glance down, he looked to see the great branches of the Deku Tree igniting beneath his feet, sending columns of smoke up as the blaze tore through the ancient tree. Soon the impromptu battlefield was hazy with smoke, ringed by fire. Cinders crept at Link's boots, and many patches of flame sprouted around the canopy of the tree.

And suddenly, a glorified leafblower was exactly what Link needed.

Breaking the stride of Gangstadorf's attacks, Link spun backwards, reaching the Master Sword backwards over his shoulder to deflect another blow, and spun rapidly. Stabbing forward with his left arm and lunging forward, he felt the blade slide neatly into the phantom's wrist until it splintered bone. With a howl of pain and rage the phantom pulled itself away from Link, dissolving into a flurry of smoke and re-forming with renewed anger in its eyes. The pulse of the battle throbbed through Link's veins and he spun the Master Sword between his palms, ready for the next strike. Blackened blood dribbled down the tip of his blade.

"I would say I'll stop playing around, but that would be a lie. I'm always toying with you." Gangstadorf spat, but Link could detect the strain of pain beneath his tone. The impassive barrier was beginning to show its cracks, and Link would keep pushing until that barrier was annihilated.

Another barrage of blows assailed Link, this round craftier than the last. Gangstadorf utilized the phantom's rather unfair trick of dissolving just when Link was about to get a good hit in, constantly shifting the terms of the battle to favor his side. As he deflected, dodged and jabbed, Link was able to piece together a profile on the Gerudo's fighting style, much like he had with Zelda and the Anubis. The semblance of a pattern began to knit together in his mind, and soon the Master Sword was leaping up seemingly on its own accord, matching Ganon's strokes perfectly.

The tide of the battle began to shift, with Link pushing back against Gangstadorf's defenses. As strong as the phantom was with attacks, its bulky physique and unfortunate weapon made for a difficult time defending itself. By using his small size and more agile weapon, Link slid through chinks in the phantom's armor. He felt the blade of the Master Sword slash and stab in his hands, finding its mark truly throughout the exchange. Soon the phantom was reeling backwards, blood dribbling down its convulsing form from an excess of cuts and shallow stabs. Link knew that none of his strikes were necessarily lethal, but they probably hurt like hell. As he stepped back, catching his breath after a particularly difficult half-turn, the phantom staggered away. Its shadowy form cracked with maniacal rage, hands trembling on the massive hilt of its sword.

"I'm going to _kill_ you!" Gangstadorf roared, his voice making the leaves beneath Link's feet tremble.

Link was starting to have to watch where he stepped on the canopy as more and more of the Great Deku Tree was set alight. The cinders started to gnaw away at the remaining branches, and a few of the boughs Link put his weight on fell away to the bottom of the tree, smashing to smithereens at the bottom of a gut-clenching drop. The fire was exactly what Link needed, though, and he started to reach for Zelda's pouch, prepared for the next phase of his slapdash plan.

A flume of fire erupted from the center of the tree, causing the phantom to stumble away as its front was seared. Link felt a wash of heat rush over him, and he patted his hair to make sure nothing had caught aflame. Heavy crackling thundered in Link's ears, and the air became thick with smoke as the flames overcame the silent realm, choking out every living thing. It was now or never.

Link reached into Zelda's pouch and pulled out the Gust Bellows, balancing it on the crook of his arm as he slowly approached the wounded phantom. It had fallen to a knee and appeared unable to right itself again. Midnight blood poured from a gash on its knee, bathing its cloak in sticky liquid that dribbled through the treetops. When Gangstadorf saw Link approaching he spat out a curse, then raised an arm to aim a blast of lightning at him. The sphere of magic flew wide, though, and it was far less powerful than Link had encountered before. Apparently the Master Sword had done more damage than he thought.

"This changes nothing." Gangstadorf hissed, raising his head to meet Link's scathing glaze. More blood oozed over his left eye, painting the solid blue orifice in a curtain of night. "This isn't near my most powerful form. You may think you've won this battle, but you're just feeding your ego."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, man." Link replied, then aimed the Gust Bellows at a patch of flames and wrenched the knob open.

A gush of wind roared out of the opening, casting the flames in full force at the phantom's defenseless form. Gangstadorf was bathed in a curtain of roiling flame and smoke until he was engulfed, every inch of the phantom's body coated in lapping flames that seared and burned mercilessly. An animal cry tore from the Gerudo's mouth, a cry of feral pain and rage that set Link's hair on end. He kept the Gust Bellows fixed on the phantom, though, as it stumbled to and fro across the canopy, thrashing about in agony.

Fire mounted higher into the air as the phantom staggered, its skin searing upward in a billowing cloud of smoke that obscured Link's vision. Setting the Gust Bellows gently onto the ground, he yanked the Deku Leaf out of Zelda's pouch, wincing when he saw the damage inflicted upon it again. The leaf was starting to wither, its magic presumably damaged from his excursion in Eldin Peak, and he wasn't sure if it would hold him or if he'd plummet to his dead. Link glanced over his shoulder briefly and saw the final tear gleaming mere yards from the protection circle, like it was taunting him.

As quickly as he dared Link backed towards the middle of the Great Deku Tree, dodging patches of roaring flames and billowing columns of smoke. Soon the treetops were covered in a sooty haze that reduced the phantom to a thrashing shadow, and Link kept his distance from the Gerudo's screams as he hoisted the Deku Leaf above him. The torn shreds of the leaf fluttered weakly in the smoke and wind, no comfort to Link's confidence in his plan, but he steeled himself and ran forward. Boots pounding against the branches, Link found his footing and leaped from the Deku Tree, holding the leaf above his head and praying to any goddess who would listen that he wouldn't end up as a grease spot on the silent realm floor.

Against all odds the Deku Leaf caught a draft and Link was soaring through the air, the wind tearing at his hair and clothes as he drifted away from the crazed phantom. A whoop of elation escaped this throat as he flew, the ground yawning beneath his feet. He was on his way out of the last silent realm, he had defeated Gangstadorf with a goddesses-forsaken _flamethrower,_ and he had finally done something Hero-worthy. All seemed right with the world for a split-second...

Until Gangstadorf's sword scissored out of the air and struck Link in the side, sending him in a wild tailspin to the ground. Thankfully the flat side of the blade was what made contact, so Link wasn't sliced cleanly in two, but the force of the blow knocked the wind out of him and sent him on a one-way towards the forest floor. The impact was enough to deflate the Deku Leaf from whatever lift it was clinging to, and soon Link was falling through the air in a wild cartwheel. The burning Forest Village spiraled around his vision, sparks and cinders burning as he fell. He had no idea when he would make contact with the ground, and he would have to start the silent realm over again...

A chilling thought came over Link as he fell. With Armageddon gone, who would restart the silent realm? Would he be stuck in the ashes of the Forest Village forever, left to burn for all eternity? It wasn't a pleasant thought.

Crash-landing on the forest floor wasn't all that pleasant, either. Link bit back a howl of pain as pain lanced through his leg, blood roaring in his ears as he fell against the ground with a _thump._ A ringing throbbed in his ears and he pulled himself to his elbows, breathing deeply as he recovered from the fall.

A thundering crash shook the ground beneath him and Link looked up to see the phantom looming fifty yards away from where he knelt, its sword drawn. Gangstadorf was in obvious agony, flames still racing across his body, but he managed to drag himself closer and closer to Link's prone form, one agonizing, twitchy step after the next.

Panic swept over Link as he tried to push himself away, scrambling against the ground as Gangstadorf hunched ever nearer. Out of the corner of his eye Link saw a flash of gold and he turned ever so slightly, squinting beyond the shifting layers of smoke...

Plunged nearly to the hilt in the ground, the Master Sword gleamed against the leaping flames that drenched the Forest Village in smoke and heat. It must have been thrown there during the fall, and right now it was Link's only hope. Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to his feet and started to hobble forward, choking back bile as red-hot agony washed over him. The Gerudo didn't seem to be faring much better, which was a small comfort, but soon Link would be within range of the phantom's sword. He pushed himself onward, stumbling and swearing, but the Master Sword seemed to only stretch further and further away.

The phantom's pounding footsteps thundered behind Link as he fell to a knee, breath hitching in his throat as he felt the cool edge of a sword press against his neck. Gangstadorf's grip on the hilt was unsteady, and the sword sliced a thin line in Link's neck as he knelt, blood seeping down and soaking his collar.

"You miserable louse! You plague-ridden scum!" Gangstadorf roared, his voice warbling between labored breaths. It trembled with pain and rage as he stepped ever nearer. The throbbing in Link's leg grew to a fiery intensity and he stared at the Master Sword mere yards from where he stood. He clenched his fists, no ingenious plan coming to mind. This was it, wasn't it?

A faint burning ran across Link's hand and he looked down to see the beaming golden light snaking across his skin, blazing the form of the Triforce. Quickly Link hid the golden light from view as the power began to pulse in his veins, fatigue and pain melting from his body like water.

"I'm gonna kill you myself! I'll kill Zelda, I'll kill Castle Town if I have to! You're going to pay for this, you filthy rat! I'll put your stupid girlfriend within an inch of her life until she goes deaf with her own screams!"

Rage, hotter than any fire, burned in Link's mind. He was on his feet in seconds, raising his left hand until it was level with the phantom's head.

"You shouldn't have said that."

A beam of golden light erupted from his palm, tendrils of pure fire and storm wrapping around the phantom, shackling it in gilded chains. They burned when they made contact with Gangstadorf's skin, and his screams rose again as Link turned and sprinted for the Master Sword, his feet pounding against the ground as a sharp tearing sound strained from the earth.

Link looked back in time to see the Great Deku Tree topple, roots torn from the earth with enough force to rattle his teeth. The enormous tree leaned forward, time stretching thin for an eternity as it collapsed. Swiping the Master Sword up in his hand, Link jumped forward and buried the blade in the center of the protection circle, his foot brushing the final tear as he leaped. An explosion of wood and earth tore the silent realm to shreds behind him as he vanished in a trickle of light, Gangstadorf's ringing scream still echoing in his ears.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to your aforementioned wagers. Did the rupees pay off? What did you think of the battle? How does this size up for later fights? Can't wait to hear from you :)**

 **HEY THANKS A MILLION for all of your lovely comments and reads! Your support is all I want for Christmas. Or Hannukah. How about Ambigumas?**

 **Until next time!**


	53. Old Friends, New Beginnings

**Welcome back to another amazing Friday! The weekend can't come soon enough :)**

 **Ready for the next chapter of Remnants? Read on!**

He came to on the bank of the lake, which was no longer glowing emerald, with Kindel peering down at him.

"Oh, good, you're awake. I was wondering if I was going to have to dunk you or something."

Waving Kindel away, Link sat up slowly and took in his surroundings. His hand flew to his side, where the Master Sword lay beside Zelda's pouch. His clothes were soaked through, charred and blackened with soot from the silent realm. Observing the back of his palm, he noticed the power of the Triforce had faded.

"You had me worried sick! Once the light stopped glowing – which took ages, may I add – I had to fish you out of the water with your leg turned the wrong way around, looking like you'd been through hell and back. Aren't the goddesses supposed to be saints or something?" Kindel snapped, crossing his arms. This close, Link noticed the strains of worry and fatigue etched on the Korok's face. "Don't go breaking any more limbs, okay?"

Link flexed his leg and winced. "Believe me, I don't try to."

Kindel pointed an accusatory finger at him. "I did what I could, but take it easy for a while. I've fixed up lots of toes with that spell, but what's the difference between a toe and a leg, really?"

"Er – Right."

Settling down on the bank of the lake, Kindel crossed his legs and gave Link a curious look. "What happened down there? You didn't really go to hell, did you? I would be both impressed and sickened by that prospect."

"I jut about did." Link explained the Forest Village as quickly as he could to Kindel, watching the Korok's features harden as he spoke. Everything was coming too fast in this swamp – Zelda, the Forest Village, Gangstadorf – every one of them chipping away at his defenses. He had just reached the part about Gangstadorf when Kindel leaped to his feet, eyes wide with shock.

"Gangstadorf? Like, the real deal? In the flesh?"

"Just about." Link scowled, reaching up to feel the shallow line cut into his neck. "He seemed pissed, spouting all this stuff about the futility of my quest, how I'm like an ant next to him, how he can quash me at any time. Kindel – is it true?"

Link expected the Korok to laugh with bravado and deny all of the Geurdo's accusations, but he merely shrugged. "I don't know. We left civilization behind a while ago. Who knows how they're faring now? Things happen fast with revolutions."

"But Shad and Ashei... All the people behind in Clock Town. I led them to their deaths. And the Koroks, and Zelda. Gangstadorf's right, isn't he? It's like I'm poisonous." Link spat, unable to meet Kindel's eyes.

Kindel sighed loudly. "Would it make you feel any better if I was all peppy and stuff? 'That's what Gangstadorf wants you to think, blah blah blah?'"

"Not really."

"Good, because maybe it is your fault. But you don't get this one fact – people, Koroks, whoever, they all have wills. If they thought you were a lost cause, or one of those long-lost-Hero chain e-mails, they would have turned you away at their doorstep. Look, you've gotten this far for a reason. Whatever hope those people had in you, you ball it up and throw it in the trash if you give in now. All this to say, stick up your chin and grow a pair."

Link gave Kindel a glare. "You are a master of mixed motives."

"I try. And as much as I love camping out in the ghost-infested marsh in the middle of nowhere, I think it's safe to say we keep moving." The Korok paused for a moment. "Where to next?"

The question struck Link as odd. For his entire journey there had always been something more: the next silent realm, the next sacred flame, the next step. But now there was only the looming goal of the Castle Skyscraper, the pressing power of Gangstadorf, pushing at every corner of Hyrule. The ultimate power to topple.

"Oh, before I forget, this thing surfaced with you." From a patch of reeds Kindel pulled out a strangely shaped instrument. The hilt and handle were made of gleaming steel, pointed at the end to form a spike, and the hilt was ribbed to fit a warrior's grip. Wood curved in a slow zigzag up to the tip of the structure, and a red fireburst curled back over the wooden end, flames lapping at the wood. Keeping well clear of the burning end, Link held the metal grip and twisted the instrument around in his grip. It handled like the Master Sword, and he practiced a short lunge...

Kindel fell back with a yelp as a ball of billowing fire was thrust from the tip of the weapon, heat wicking the moisture from the air for a moment as the fire twisted on a curving path into the lake, where it fizzled out quickly. Link grinned and observed the weapon with newfound appreciation, while Kindel looked distinctly miffed.

"Finally, something I can use. What should we call it? I'm thinking _the Fire Rod._ "

"How original." The Korok drawled. "Forgive me if I, a wooden creature, am not thrilled with this turn of events."

Link held the Fire Rod between his palms, feeling warmth from the center of the metal bloom along his hands. It was an interesting choice for a weapon, given the circumstances. First his parents, then the Forest Village... Was everything of the goddesses' some sort of over-arching symbol?

Forget symbols – a fire-breathing stick was badass.

"Skyloft." He nodded to Kindel. "We ride for Skyloft."

Kindel's brows furrowed at this statement. "Excuse me, am I hearing you right? You just emerged triumphant and angsty from the last silent realm, trigger-happy to put an arrow in Gangstadorf's brains. And you want to go to the most secluded place in all of Hyrule?"

Link angled his head to the side. "Yeah, sounds about right. Besides, Epona isn't going to fly us up in the atmosphere. But you know who can?"

All color, or rather, chlorophyll, drained from Kindel's face. "Oh, no. Anything but that. I am going to throw myself in this lake and never return, dragon scale or not. You'd better be joking, you lousy..."

Grinning all the while, Link gave his shrillest, loudest whistle, and mere seconds passed before the tops of the trees were buffeted with wingbeats. Kindel groaned loudly, looking notably more green than usual, and Link tilted his head to the sky to see the brilliant red form of Scar descend from the foggy clouds, landing cleanly beside the lake. She folded her powerful wings to her side and clicked her beak at Link, looking pleased to see him again. Kindel shrank back when Scar turned to him and gave him a strangled cry of greeting that seemed to be more of a roar. Link ruffled the Loftwing's feathers and swung onto her back.

"Well? Hop on."

"Skyloft, of course. We couldn't go to Castle Town like any normal people, could we? No, we have to go miles into the atmosphere, of course." Kindel spat darkly, working his way up by grabbing big fistfuls of Scar's feathers, which earned him another hissing cry. He sat in front of Link and crossed his arms petulantly. "Lead the way, you great feathered –"

Before he could finish, Scar leaned back and leaped for the sky, wings straining as she lifted Link and Kindel above the drooping treetops and catapulted into the sky. From the air Link could see the full extent of the swamp, which sprawled beyond the horizon in nearly every direction. Curls of mist and fog drifted through the trees, and moss hung loosely from large branches. The entire marsh looked like it had been trampled and then drowned, moldering in the scummy water. As Link watched ghostly lights flickered throughout the trees, there one moment and gone the next. He blinked furiously to make sure his mind wasn't playing tricks on himself, and then the lights would vanish. Even more eerily, he saw the forms of shadowed figures shifting with the shadows of the marsh.

With a shudder Link turned away and fixed his eyes on the brightening sky – he was glad to be out of that place for good.

Riding Scar again was an incredible experience, even for the brief time before they touched down near the edge of the swamp. The wind whipped through Link's hair, finally free of the moldy stench of the swamp below, and the sheer strength of Scar's form powering through the clouds was exhilarating. Kindel didn't seem quite so enamored with the Loftwing; his crossed arms had quickly clung to the neck of the Loftwing for dear life, and Link thought he heard the murmurs of a Korok prayer underneath the rush of the wind.

Link started to puzzle through the events of the silent realm as he rode, seizing the opportunity of the rare silence. After all of the other silent realms he hadn't felt particularly changed, no matter how many times Kindel told him the trials were supposed to shape his spirit. Sure, he had gained new items, but he hadn't been morphed into a vessel of the goddesses or anything like that. But this silent realm had been entirely different – having to face his worst memories and fears back-to-back had been awful, but also cathartic. The calm state of mind he had faced in the silent realm had somehow stuck with him. The fear and doubt was still there, of course, but he was able to overcome it, like he was finally seeing the shore. It was an alien feeling, and Link wasn't entirely sure he liked it.

All his life he had been ruled by emotions, the rage in the ring and the gut instincts that came with battles and near-death moments the goddesses were so fond of. His quest had been fueled by the desire to help Hyrule, but also a twisted sort of revenge. Reliving that night should have stoked the fire even more, but he was only left with a resounding sort of calm. Even the Forest Village massacre, one of the most defining moments in his quest as the Hero, failed to elicit the response he would have expected.

He was still angry, though, and more willing than ever to stick the Master Sword up Gangstadorf's intimates. He would focus on that now – the strange call to Skyloft, and then Gangstadorf.

"You seem remarkably thoughtful, given your lack of brain matter." Kindel growled, barely raising his head from Scar's neck to be heard over the wind.

"I was thinking about the silent realm. The fire, the Forest Village... Everything's all muddled." Link shook his head with frustration. "I can't make sense of it."

"Well, you can make sense of going to Skyloft remarkably." Kindel fired back. "You're not doing this to antagonize me, are you? Because that would be a special kind of cruelty."

"I don't know. It just seems like the right thing to do. And you're pretty hilarious when you get in the air." Link smirked.

"If I weren't about to fall from this demon pigeon at any second I would strangle you myself." The Korok groused.

"Could you even reach my neck?"

"That doesn't matter!"

Link guided Scar back to the area when he had parked Epona, and was soon confronted with a rather large problem – he doubted the Loftwing would be able to carry the combined weight of a Hylian, Korok, and a motorcycle. Almost on a whim he opened Zelda's pouch and tapped the edge of the fabric against the license plate, and immediately the motorcycle started to shrink down to toy size, sliding into Zelda's pouch easily. Even Kindel overcame his disgust of Scar to give Link an impressed expression.

"Did you know it could do that?" The Korok gaped openly at the bag in Link's hands. Link shook the bag vigorously, and could have sworn he had heard a faint crashing sound come from the drawstring pouch.

"With magic, who knows?"

Link jumped back onto Scar's back and spurred his heels gently into her sides. The Loftwing needed no more urging, taking to the sky in a flutter of hasty wingbeats. Kindel fell back against Link as Scar pulled upward in a nearly vertical climb, her nose angled upward to the rising sun. Link whooped with exhilaration, fixing his grip firmly on the Loftwing's body, and Kindel clung so tightly to Scar's feathers that it was a wonder he didn't tear them out. Soon they were soaring far above the swamp, which faded to a bruise-like patch of brown on the surface of the ground. Link chose to focus on the sky, though, and the clouds twisted above his head as Scar flew through a series of exuberant loops and spins.

In minutes the surface was far, far below them, shielded by a veil of stormy clouds that Scar punched through, revealing a brilliantly blue sky. Kindel managed to pry his eyes open for a moment to enjoy the view before snapping them firmly shut again. In the distance Link could make out the single chain that bound Skyloft to the ground, taut in the winds, and the crawling ascent of the ferry as it rose to the island. Flying on Scar was infinitely more entertaining, with the world seemingly miles beneath his dangling feet and the wind in his face. Kindel gave the ferry a longing glance before his eyes dropped to the ground, now practically obscured from view, and he gripped Scar's feathers even more tightly.

Kindel became restless mere minutes into the flight, but a feeling of adrenaline and freedom pulsed through Link's veins as he rode. Being back on Scar again reminded him of simpler times – Varden and the Skyloft races, Malon's face as they grappled for victory. And then Kindel had showed up, and the silent realms had bludgeoned their way onto the scene, and everything went to hell in a handbasket. Even drawing nearer to Skyloft was a breath of fresh air, of familiarity, and also purpose.

Despite these feelings, Link couldn't help but wonder what Skyloft would be like when he reached it. Would Gangstadorf already have taken over? Or would the citizens be in revolt, screaming his praises? Link shook his head, refusing to let the duties of the Hero rid him of this moment. Now he could relax, even just for a short while, and enjoy the ride.

Tossing her crimson head, Scar burst forward in a rush of speed, weaving between the steadily growing air traffic of Loftwings and and cargo Peahats as they neared the island. The ride seemed like it had taken no time at all, but the stiffness in Link's muscles told him that he must have been flying for a few hours. Time had bled together so quickly in the air, and for a moment Link was reluctant to touch back down again.

Then, like it always did, the memories of his quest fell back into place with harsh finality. Excitement was replaced with apprehension as the looming figure of Skyloft neared, obscured in shadows as Scar looped closer to the docks. Faces and names rushed into Link's mind: Varden and Shad, even Gondo. People he never thought he would meet again. A sickening feeling soured his stomach as Scar swept under a slow-flying Loftwing. Who even knew if they were still alive?

As much as he hated to admit it, in a world ruled by Gangstadorf, it had become a custom to fear the worst.

All too soon Scar was touching down against the timeworn boards of the dock, her wide wingspan scattering a few ground crews as she landed. Kindel slid down the Loftwing's flank, tottering to his feet with a distinctly ill look on his face, and Link followed after. Scar butted her beak against Link's jaw, then took off to the skies again like a red comet, darting behind a cluster of buildings and out of sight.

"Stay on guard." Kindel muttered, shaking out his legs to get some feeling in them. Looking down, Link noticed he was still wearing his swamp-soiled Hero's uniform, which was attracting a variety of strange glances from the visitors of the harbor. Ducking his head down, Link hurried to a nearby warehouse, shuttered up and leaning on its foundation. Once he was sure no one was around he threw on his civilian clothes, a little musty but not too worse for wear, pulling up his hood over his head. After the Clock Town speech, publicity was the last thing he needed, especially when he didn't know how Skyloft stood with Gangstadorf's new order.

"How are things out there?" He hissed to Kindel, who scrambled back into the warehouse after him.

"I can't tell. The people seem normal, and kind of angry. No different than usual." He shrugged, then froze. Link opened his mouth to speak and the Korok shushed him harshly, gesturing to the air. Over the drafts entering the rickety warehouse, Link was able to make out a faint clicking sound, the whir of machinery barely audible.

Treading carefully, Link pressed against a stack of heavy boxes, searching for the sound of the machine. The noise rumbled from behind the cargo, still almost too quiet to hear, and Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath. The blade hissed loudly and Link winced, hoping whoever – or whatever – was hiding behind the boxes would think of it as an intimidation factor. Drawing in a breath, he counted silently to three and leaped out from behind his hiding place, raising his sword in preparation to smite down whatever stood before him.

As he wheeled around the box an arrow was nearly jammed into his face, an enormous body aiming the projectile at the direct center of his head. Both jumped in surprise, stared at each other for a moment, and Link sheathed the Master Sword with a shout of laughter. From behind imposing-looking goggles, Gondo grinned at Link, his complex bow bending backwards over itself with a mass of gears and wires.

"Well, I didn't expect to be seeing you again, my young revolutionary! Varden, git yourself over here! You're not going to believe who just showed up here!"

A tired-looking Varden poked his head out from behind another stack of cargo, his expression splitting in a beaming grin when he caught sight of Link. "Varden Junior! Chosen by the goddesses! You sure know how to make your old man proud!"

They exchanged handshakes, Varden grinning all the while, and he turned back to Gondo. "Of all the warehouses in all the world, huh? Well, most noble Hero, we here in Skyloft haven't been slacking. Thanks to Shad – who would have thought that kid was rebel brass, eh? We've been getting shipments from the Resistance, arming Skyloft for when Gangstadorf strikes against us. That speech of yours gave us quite a turn. For some of the people here, hearing about life down on the ground was eye-opening. They didn't know people had it so bad. Research went out, and new horrors were brought to light every day. I guess our weakness was our strength." Varden gave Link a wry smile, leading him deeper in the warehouse. Kindel trailed behind, looking miffed at the lack of introductions. "The blinders flew off, and Skyloft went into a frenzy. You won't find a soul here who won't kiss your shoe leather, I'm thinking."

"Varden, a revolutionary?" Link couldn't help but smile. "How did that happen?"

"I'm nothing important, mind." Varden beat his fist against his chest, looking rather pleased with himself. "Just working on shipping and low-brow stuff like that. But there is a message that's gone out for you since your speech."

"Oh yeah?" Kindel called up from the ground, and Varden didn't even hesitate to respond.

"It's some lady from the library, sending out this distress call or something. Vital to the Hero's quest, I got the gist. She wants you to meet up with her immediately."

Link cast Kindel a knowing glance, and was rewarded with an eye roll in return.

"Fine, I'll say it. Coming to Skyloft was a good decision." Kindel muttered, like the words themselves were traitorous for him to admit.

"There you have it. To the library, then?"

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Resistance in Skyloft - only a few rupees a day are the arrows in the quiver of your best guy's bow. And it looks like they're going to need all the help they can get... I'll leave things there :)**

 **Thanks as always for your support, and happy upcoming holidays!**

 **Until next time!**


	54. Body and Soul

**IT'S THAT TIME OF YEAR... Happy almost ChristmaHannkKwanzaa to you and yours.**

 **Mount your stations and prepare for battle! Read on!**

Even for the short time he had stayed there, Link had gained a sense of Skyloft. That assumption was totally shattered when he walked the streets again – it was like entering a war zone.

Grim faces stood out in the crowd, the hardened eyes of children and fathers as they slung sandbags against walls, forming makeshift fortifications with a sense of imminent danger hanging over them. A few radios blared news from the street corners, while a twitchy-looking Hylians twiddled their dials, searching all frequencies for the call to war. Link knew that Skyloft would most likely be Gangstadorf's next target, seeing as it hadn't fallen under his new regime yet. The Skyloftians were putting up quite the fight in response.

"I did all of this?" Link gestured around him, glancing up as a group of Loftwings swept over the buildings that stood close to the sidewalk, reaching for the sky with steely fingers.

"Of course!" Varden slugged him on the shoulder, none too gently. "Keep your head down, we don't want to start a mob or anything. They'd be singing your praises for the surface to hear if you came in with your Hero digs on. Know anything about this librarian business?"

Link shrugged, exchanging a knowing glance with Kindel. "No clue."

The very air seemed to hang heavy with the oncoming battle. Loftwings sped through the skies, carrying cargoes of ammunition and barricade supplies. Practically everyone Link came across wore a sword strapped over their backs, and the flinty looks in their eyes told Link they weren't afraid to use them. The usual presence of Bokoblins had vanished, and it was no mystery why – Skyloft had taken the opportunity to throw off its loosened yoke and rebel.

"Impressed yet?" Varden beamed as they passed through an enormous gate, barricading the main road from entry. Spikes of sharpened metal protruded from the sandbags, and Link had to skirt anti-tank blockades as he neared the enormous jaws of the gate. Varden exchanged a nod with the guards before entering through a narrow opening in the gate, barely enough for the man to squeeze through, before the metal slammed shut with a resounding _crash!_

"The library took it hard after the revolt – the Bokoblins targeted it, for some reason, and there was pretty significant fire in the records room. Skyloft isn't quite what it used to be. I don't think any of us are." Varden's lips twitched in a smile that didn't quite meet his eyes. It was true, their roles had shifted dramatically since Link had seen the man last. Who would have guessed a Loftwing pilot would become a leading rebel?

The streets were shadowed, windows blackened with wide swaths of paint. The buoyant energy of Skyloft had been replaced with a grim determination, an emptiness that hovered over its streets like a mist.

The library was half-shrouded in sandbags, its dome supported by an enormous metal scaffold that held up the ancient, buckling stone. Patterns of fire stretched high above Link's head, smokey trails seared into the grease and dust that clung to the library's walls. Link ducked his head slightly as he passed under the scaffolds, wary of the cracked stone above him. After all of his work with this whole Hero business, dying from a chunk of ceiling to the head would be a pretty anticlimactic way to go. The body of the goddess stood warped and misshapen from a barrage of small blasts, it features indistinguishable. The sight of the ancient statue reduced practically to rubble was a poignant one, and Link could tell from Varden's face that he felt the same way.

If the exterior of the library looked damaged, the interior was even more so. The woody, ashen smell of flames set Link on edge as he stepped through the door, revealing the charred innards of the building. Ashes smeared across the grand lanterns that lit the expanse, sending waxy shadows across the floor. Half of the once-grand bookcases had collapsed into each other, scattering innumerable pages and scrolls across the ground in a heap. Link saw Kindel's jaw drop at the sight of the damage. Varden simply walked on, unsurprised by the scene that lay before him, and he pushed on deeper into the clutter.

The sweeping marble staircase was covered with scraps of torn scrolls. Link's boots left imprints in the ashes as he walked down, careful to mind his step as he dodged shattered artifacts and the split spines of books. Varden pointed ahead as he led them, where a large space in the center of the library had been cleared away. A massive table stood in the middle, slightly crooked on one too-short leg, and was stacked high with relatively undamaged scroll cases and leather-bound tomes.

"Is this it?" He asked, approaching the table with apprehension. The last time he had seen the librarian, Orielle, she had informed him about silent realms. Surely there wasn't some other hellish ordeal of the Hero he would have to go through next?

"What, this? This is what we've been able to salvage so far." Varden replied grimly. "It's just a bit farther this way. I think you'll like it." The ghost of a smile shone in his eyes as he took a right at the table, heading deeper into the collapsed stack of bookshelves. Link had to jump over one of the empty wooden frames as he followed Varden to the right wall of the library, where a statue of a mounted Hylian soldier stood. The majesty sealed in the stone was dimmed somewhat by the dismal scene that lay at the horse's feet, which were stacked with burned scraps of books to support the statue. A mischievous grin overtook Varden as he reached forward and pulled down on the horse's raised hoof, which clicked back with a metallic whir. Moments later a section of the wall swung away on hidden hinges to reveal a sharply declining staircase, the end of which descended far beyond where Link could see.

"You know, I never thought librarians were the secret passage type, but who am I to judge?" Varden shrugged. "This is where I leave you – I can't go any farther than this, according to her instructions. But do me a solid and tell me what was down there when you come back. There's been rumors flying all over Skyloft, a couple of guys tried to muscle their way down there... Well, you'll see when you reach it." Clapping his hand on Link's shoulder, Varden gave him a small smile before returning back to the center of the library, over the bookcases and out of sight.

"Well, how about the resident Hero of Skyloft gets a move on?" Kindel grumbled. "It's hard to climb over human-sized bookcases all on your own, you know."

Leaning into the doorway, Link took a careful step down the staircase, which was rather steep. Compared to the ashy library, a clammy dampness clung to the air of the tunnel, only adding to Link's foreboding. Kindel heaved a loud sigh and pushed past Link's leg, summoning a small ball of pearly light in his fist. "Honestly, aren't you Heroes good for anything?"

Link bit back a comment about stepstools and walked after the Korok's retreating form, and soon a low grinding sound thundered from the wall, signaling that the door had closed behind them. The sealing of the tunnel worried Link slightly, and he turned back to see if there was some sort of latch or handle on the back of the passage door, but it was already out of sight. The walls seemed to press in at all sides as he walked deeper and deeper underground, until his eyes grew used to the low light. Damp, stale air clouded before his breath as he walked, and even Kindel seemed to grow more wary as he wandered.

He was about to call for a break when the staircase opened into a yawning cavern, illuminated faintly by torches bolted to the walls, with ghostly blue fire crackling above them. When Link stepped forward onto the slick stone ground the fires flashed a brilliant, molten gold, leaping ten feet high into the air and wicking the moisture from the air in an instant. Kindel shied back from the flames, but Link stepped forward, unafraid of what lay ahead. Mist snaked across the floor, coiling in tendrils as it crept over the stones, wrapping around Link's legs and stretching like vines up his body until he was enveloped in the stuff. It smelled faintly of something sweet, like perfume, but the scent was gone as soon as he tried to identify it.

 _You are very brave to come here,_ a voice hissed in his ear, high and clear as a bell. Ordinarily Link would reach for his sword, preparing for his opponent to strike, but this felt different. Golden light flashed before his eyes, weaving like molten metal across his skin, and still the voice whispered to him.

 _You are wise to come here as well. My messenger has done her part, I see._ The second voice was also feminine, more staid than the first. From the corner of Link's eye he could see the flames churn in a deep cobalt color, flecked with silver as they crackled through the air.

"Who are you?" He asked, standing perfectly still as the mist coiled around him, tightening ever more as he waited.

 _You know us well already, young Hero. We are the ones who have been guiding you. We are the gurgle of the creek when you least expect it, the whistle of the wind, the flutter of a bird's downy wings as it takes for the sky. We are the Three._

Link felt numb for a moment – surely these voices weren't the golden goddesses themselves? He reached for the Master Sword and drew it from its sheath. The blade gleamed a reddish hue in the dimmed light, casting a glow that dispelled the mist around his body. Soon the voices curled around his ankles, twisting as they whispered their messages.

 _We cannot stay in the mortal realm for long, so you must take heed of our words. You have spent your journey purifying your blade, then your spirit. While you have performed both tasks to the best of your abilities, you still have much room to grow._

A sting of anger snapped in Link's chest. He hadn't climbed down to some creepy mist chamber to get insulted by mythical goddesses. "Please, um, Your Holinesses, what can I do fulfill your wishes?"

The faintest giggle rose from the ground, twining up to Link's ears. _You misunderstand us, young Hero. Your spiritual growth is in your own hands now; do with it what you will. We only aim to assist you in the sharpening of your blade, which will in turn sharpen your soul. Do you follow?_

"Um... Yes." Link raised the Master Sword to eye level. "But hasn't the sword been cleansed already?"

The tone of the goddesses took on a bitter streak when they responded. _The blade rested in the bowels of evil for generations, festering in a pit of despair and misery. Our sacred flames purged the metal of its impurities, and now we will fire the evil out of its core, until it is a weapon truly fit for a Hero. With the true Master Sword in hand, you will strike it through Ganondorf's heart._

"For goddesses revered for peace and wisdom, you sure can be bloodthirsty. I mean, yes, I'm ready." Link hurriedly covered up for his comment, turning red as the flames flickered an angry scarlet.

 _Hold the Master Sword forward in your hand, guarded one,_ the crooning voice of a goddess responded, and Link's arm moved almost on its own accord, reaching the blade forward over the darkness. Tentacles of mist stretched across the metal, and the flames roared higher with searing intensity, filling the chamber with broiling heat.

 _Metal forged from the purest light, respond to my call. Willingly given, burn with the fire of Din, the strength forged in the blood of enemies._ The blade turned red-hot in Link's hand, but he dared not drop it as the smoke whirled and churned around him, a red glow washing over the room. He wasn't sure, but he thought he saw Kindel cowering against the wall.

 _Magic bestowed by the goddesses, imbued in the heart and the soul, rise again to former prominence. Bestow upon the Hero your blessing, the sting of death and the taste of a coin on the tongue of any who may oppose him._ The flames now stretched to the ceiling, flickering in a deep blue. The Master Sword cooled to a warm temperature, far cooler than the searing heat of before, and it started to glow from pommel to tip. A pulsing light joined the frantic flames, creating a strobe of whites and blues that flashed aggressively before Link's eyes.

 _Courage of the blade is a mere extension of the soul. Bring forth the gift of Courage, the flame of battle and the strength of legions, power beyond power arising from within. I call forward not what I have created by magical means, but what lies within you already. One needs only to discover inner light and illuminate the darkest of times._ The room was awash with churning greens, and the stones beneath Link's boots began to tremble as the mist churned into a frenzy. A shockwave rippled through the chamber, and the Master Sword glowed with such brilliant intensity that Link had to turn his face away to avoid being blinded. The hilt warmed to a searing heat in his hand, and it seemed to tremble on its own accord in his grip.

 _Hear our voices and become One._ The goddesses' voices mingled in one synchronized, eerie harmony, the sound crashing over Link's head likes waves of the sea, the thunder of a mountain beneath him, the roaring fire beside.

 _Let all become full circle._

And as soon as they had come they were gone, the torches dimming to a natural yellow, the mist vanishing without a trace, the tremors ceasing. Link promptly dropped the Master Sword and backed away, eyeing it with as much curiousity as a nuclear missile. Who knew what the goddesses had done to his beloved blade?

Mustering up a shred of courage, he stepped forward and prodded the side of the hilt with his toe. It didn't react in any way out of the ordinary, so he reached down and picked it up, the metal sizzling slightly in the damp chamber.

As soon as the sword touched his skin the Triforce burned forward on his hand, casting a beam of golden light that wove into the metal of the sword, brilliant in the dim light of the room. Link held the blade aloft as it burned with a fiery intensity, then faded back to a gleaming silver. He released a short breath and eyed the Master Sword with suspicion, but it didn't seem to have any more tricks up its metaphorical sleeves.

"What on Hylia's good green earth blessed by the goddesses was that?" Kindel yelped from his position against the wall, eyes popping as he observed the Master Sword in Link's hands. Link still wasn't sure exactly what had happened himself, so he simply shrugged, swinging the sword around in his hands. It felt unusually light and heavy at the same time, and he wasn't sure if he liked the change.

Another rumbling rattled the torches in their brackets and dust tricked down onto Link's collar. Kindel's eyes met his, still wide from the magic that had just unfolded.

"Please tell me that was you."

"I can tell you with great certainty that that was _not_ me."

They both charged for the stairs, Link taking them three at a time as he scrambled back to the surface, with Kindel using liberal amounts of Korok magic to keep up. The library looked unchanged – although even if anything had changed since Link had seen it last, it would be hard to tell given the mess – but when he exited under the half-collapsed dome a sight was laid out before him that turned his blood to ice.

A mixture of planes and midnight-black Loftwings strafed over the sky. Although they were barely visible over the tops of the buildings, Link felt the vibrations under his feet of bombs hitting their targets, the pluck of bowstrings as archers fired back in defense. A plume of fire clawed its way into the sky, releasing a noxious cloud of smoke that shrouded Link's view in inky black, and the screams started to rise moments later.

Ganstadorf's attack had finally begun.

"What are you doing here? Get down!" A coarse voice bellowed in Link's ear, and he was roughly dragged away from the doorway of the library and into a ditch by the side of the road, carved out by an explosion. A shrill whistle pierced through the sky and Link dove down as an explosion shredded through the street, debris catapulting through the air. A shrieking wail sounded from the buildings as they tore apart at the seams, stone punching into the pavement as the library's dome fell apart before Link's eyes. Dust and smoke filled the air until Link was blinded, but his rescuer was already moving, pulling him along after him as he sprinted through the streets. Feet pounded against the sidewalk, the rattling of ammunition and the screams of falling bombs thundering in Link's ears.

He dragged his arm out of the man's grip, exasperated at being dragged around like a child. "What's going on?" He hollered over the racket. "I'm –"

The man turned, revealing an elderly visage with eyes like pits, staring directly at Link with a burning kind of intensity. Link could sense a sort of pride behind those eyes. "I don't care who you are, son, but you're going to help us out here. Man your station!"

"My what?" Link called after him, bewildered, but the man was already gone, vanishing into the cloud of rubble and smoke. He turned in a slow circle, trying to get his bearings in the chaos, and then he spotted the gunner.

He couldn't have been much older than Link himself, frozen with his hands clutching the triggers of his weapon. Blood streaked down his hair and the side of his face, and Link knew from the lack of movement in his frame that the man was dead. Running forward over the cracked cobblestones, he grabbed the man under his shoulders and yanked him from his seat, peering through the gun's sights up to the sky.

As the smoke started to clear Link was able to make out his bearing of the street. The gunner's post sat dead-center in the middle of a wide intersection, its front piled high with sandbags and rimmed with barbed wire. The gun itself was massive, with a chain of arrows dangling down its side and enormous barrels that could have easily launched spears. The street was wide enough that he was able to get a good view of the air battle ahead.

Skyloft residents were facing off against the planes and enemy Loftwings, firing at each other with deadly precision as their mounts looped and twisted in the sky. Link watched as a familiar blur of red darted around the side of one of Gangstadorf's planes, while its mount plugged up the side of the metal machine with arrows. The plane belched black smoke and its engine sputtered, falling from the sky like a wounded bird. Link punched his fist into the air – there was only one other person who could pilot a Loftwing like that in all of Skyloft, and it was Varden. _And he said he was only low-level..._

One plane pulled away from the dogfight, and Link swiveled the gun around until he had the machine aligned in his sights. He flexed his grip on the triggers and a barrage of arrows launched into the sky, following the plane as it dove forward to avoid the new attack. The distant collision of metal against metal told Link he had hit his target, but his offense didn't seem to do much damage. Link wheeled the guns back around, prepared to attack again, when the plane changed course again, pulling away from the aerial fight and bearing down towards the city.

Directly towards him.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the War Offices Auxiliary Board to support the Skyloft war effort. Don't forget your Victory Reviews and Bonds to help our soldiers on the front and in the skies!**

 **I hope all of you wonderful readers are having an amazing holiday season! Thanks as always for your reads and support, they make a pretty nice gift :)**

 **Until next time!**


	55. The Dogfight

**SURPRISE! I meant to post another chapter yesterday as a Christmas/holiday gift, so think of it as belated.**

 **Happy holidays and read on! :)**

The plane dipped like an enormous shadow from its perch in the sky, swooping low over the tops of the buildings as it flew towards Link's position on the crossroads. He ducked down as a barrage of arrows swept over the street, dragging the sights upwards and firing with all he had against the underbelly of the plane. Sharp arrowheads pierced the bottom of the plane, but it continued unharmed as it passed over Link's head. Yanking back a lever on the base of the gunner's platform, Link wheeled the guns around to face the plane again, which had looped backwards over itself and was headed for Link again.

Instead of cowering back this time, Link let loose with the arrows as the plane swooped closer and closer, keeping up a steady stream of artillery as the metal machine dove for him. Shifting to the side slightly, Link focused his fire on the left wing of the airplane, leveling the arrows towards the churning engines. He let out a holler of success when a plume of smoke erupted from the left engine, followed by the rickety sounds of metal bouncing against itself, but the plane managed to wheel itself upward over Link's head and back towards the sky.

Link had celebrated too soon, though, as the plane looped around again. Despite the damage it had taken, it was still intent on destroying the gunner's station. Holding firm to the targeting sights, Link focused on the second engine and pulled back on the triggers, releasing arrows in rapid succession at the plane as it hobbled closer.

A second spray of fire burst from the right engine and the plane wobbled in the air. Leaping upward in his seat, Link raised a hand in the air in celebration, grinning as he observed his handiwork.

The pilot, however, wasn't finished just yet, and Link barely had time to drop to the ground when he emptied his payload of bombs onto the street before puttering out of the blast radius.

The last thing Link heard before a shrill ringing replaced any sound was the crack as he collided against the wall of the street – he wasn't sure if the crack came from him or the stone, and the world turned to fire and a pulsing beat in his ears. He could feel the vibrations beneath his arms and legs as chunks of the buildings fell to the ground, fiery red pressing against his eyelids as flames roared across the roofs. Wrenching his eyes open, he saw the gunner's station completely demolished, carved into a massive crater. Something warm and wet dripped into his eyes and he raised a hand to his head, fingers coming away crimson.

Alarm burst through Link and he swiveled his head around, searching the wreckage for Kindel. Surely the Korok had managed to protect himself before the blast – where was he? Link attempted to stand, turning to see his leg pinned by a massive stone that kept him locked in place. Growling with frustration, he turned and reached for Zelda's pouch, but it had torn free in the explosion.

He was about to take drastic action when a roar of wind rushed in Link's ears, and he turned to see a pile of rubble fly into the air as if it had been thrown by some enormous giant. From the bottom of the pile Link saw the Gust Bellows propped up, followed by Kindel's dusty, ash-streaked form. He appeared rather proud of himself as he looked around, spotting Link and hurrying over as fast as he could while dragging the Gust Bellows behind him.

"You look like hell!" The Korok shouted, his voice tinny in Link's ears. "All right?"

Link gave Kindel a pointed glare and the Korok muttered a short phrase in Ancient Hylian, and the rock that had pinned Link levitated a few yards away, crashing down to the ground and squashing a fire hydrant flat. Kindel handed Link the pouch, which thankfully hadn't sustained any damage in the blast. Standing unsteadily, Link hobbled after Kindel as he took off down the street, searching the skies for any more enemy aircraft.

Explosions of black smoke decorated the sky, trails of white and gray smoke zooming back and forth like a strange and perverse game of connect-the-dots. Before Link could see if Varden was still fighting, Kindel shoved him in the open door of an apartment building, with its windows fully shattered and its doorframe warped from the blasts. As soon as they were as deep into the building as possible Link sank to the ground, finally catching his breath. His ribs and leg burned like a thousand devils, but he was otherwise unharmed.

"What now?" Kindel asked, his mouth drawn in a thin line as he observed the street outside. Shadows of Skyloft residents flickered before the door as they ran, carting boxes of arrows and carrying the wounded. How soon the city had become a war zone...

"Is there anything else we can do here?" Link asked, dragging his gaze back to Kindel's. "We owe it to these people to fight."

Kindel shook his head firmly. "No way. We need to get back to the city. You know, the whole fighting Gangstadorf business? Taking down the evil in this land? The purpose of the Hero?"

With the help of the Master Sword Link pushed himself to his feet, then offered Kindel a hand. "The purpose of the Hero is to help those who can't help themselves. Right now, that's Skyloft. I can come by after the battle's over, if you'd like."

Kindel's eyes narrowed, but a playful light came to them as he took Link's hand. "One thing's for sure Hero – nobody can call you a Cucco now."

"You either, big shot. Let's give them hell."

Link knew exactly where to find Varden – on the highest roof. It had been outfitted for defensive purposes, piled up with sandbags and an anti-aircraft station identical to the one Link had manned mere minutes ago. Scar's brilliant head was streaked with ash and oil, but she looked unhurt when Link approached. Aralia was hunched over a body on a stretcher, face streaked with tears and grinning madly. Peering over her shoulder, Link saw Varden lying on the ground before him, one hand holding a bloody bandage to his side.

"Everyone's favorite soldier! You look terrible!" Varden beamed when Link approached. "This is nothing, the arrow went clean through. No need to panic." He directed these last words at Aralia, who scowled at him for a moment before smiling again.

"Can I take Scar up?" Link asked as the Loftwing butted her beak against his shoulder, ignoring Kindel's strangled protest.

Varden's smile collapsed slightly as he looked to the sky, which was a mess of smoke and warfare. "There's still one plane left up there, the one that took me down. I'd usually say yes in an instant, but the pilot's damn clever, and we can't risk you getting shot down."

"And _we_ can't risk losing any more lives." Craning his neck back, Link was able to make out the circling form of the final plane behind a bank of clouds. "Gangstadorf's invasion ends now, and I'm going to make sure of it."

Aralia looked like she was about to protest, but before she could open her mouth Link had swung onto Scar's back and reared the Loftwing towards the sky, taking off in a blur of red. This time there was no exhilaration in flight, no joy of escaping a bygone evil, because this time Link was flying into the face of it.

The sky seemed to churn with debris from the explosions, and soon Link and Scar were obscured by a bank of thick, black smoke. Shadows flitted from side to side as they flew, surely the form of the final plane as it circled him. Link reached backwards for a second, then laughed aloud. Had he seriously just rushed forward to take down an airplane armed with the _Master Sword?_

"Probably should have thought this through." He muttered, and Scar ruffled her feathers in response as she hovered, wings beating away the dark clouds. Link's eyes darted to the side, where a large shadowed form darkened against the sky, and he pulled Scar away just in time as the nose of the plane burst from its hiding place, gears grinding against each other as they bore down on Link and his mount.

Link was about to ready the Master Sword for a strafing strike when a crazy grin sprung on his face. He wasn't armed with only the Master Sword – he was armed with something much, much better. Hefting the Fire Rod from Zelda's pouch, he leveled it on the crook of his elbow and prepared to target the plane as it pulled in a slow circle. The pilot seemed to be toying with him, wondering what a lone Loftwing could do, and Link was all too ready to show him.

When Gangstadorf's airplane wheeled nearer, Link let loose with the flamethrower, allowing the fire to leap forward in a spiral of brilliant yellow and red. A wave of heat washed over Link as the flames tore through the air, searing into the side of the plane in one long red-hot gash as it passed, and the engine died with a sharp whine as its rotors were welded together from the blast. Scar screeched in triumph as the pilot frantically tried to right the plane, but it dipped in a course for the surface as it plummeted, leaving trails of flame behind.

Not wanting to stay where he wasn't needed, Link pulled Scar around and directed her back to the roof, where Aralia stood with wide eyes. She visibly sagged with relief when the Loftwing burst from the cover of the clouds, and Varden's cheers were audible from many yards away.

"Nayru, I must be out of my mind! I thought there was a dragon or something up there, what with all the flames..." Varden grinned, clapping a hand on Link's arm.

"Yeah, imagine that." Link replied, meeting Kindel's exasperated glare. The Korok did seem relieved as well, probably because he hadn't been up in the air during the short battle.

Varden started to chatter on his radio with the rest of the Resistance higher-ups, and Aralia pulled Link aside.

"It's really wonderful that you've come here. Thank Hylia we got some of your stunts on film. The Resistance will be able to use them for, you know, the _overthrow_." Link had always assumed Aralia was less of a bloodthirsty girl, but her eyes gleamed with intensity as she spoke.

Even so, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of anger at her words. His work at the gunner's station hadn't been a stunt; he had genuinely been trying to take that plane down, same with the midair battle. Neither were ways for him to gain attention or favor from the people, he was only trying to help. Was part of being the Hero just being a poster boy every once and a while?

"Look, Aralia, you shouldn't be recording me. I'm no better than the rest of your soldiers here fighting, and they deserve credit just as much as I do. If it's for morale, I understand, but no more than is necessary. People will be heartened seeing their own fighting back than some legendary, goddesses-sent Hero."

He looked over the view of Skyloft as it lay before him. Trails of smoke were still rising from the city, but the battle had been won. Already the sun was peeking out of the black clouds of smoke, the people stepping outside of their houses and shelters to see the damage. Soon the streets were filled with Hylians, Gorons, Zora, everyone imaginable looking to the skies, watching the sunrise. And as soon as they saw it they cheered, their triumphant cries reaching for the skies as they cheered, a massive body of unity and hope as they shouted themselves hoarse.

Aralia placed a hand on Link's shoulder, smiling. "Do you see what you've done? Just think what will happen when you reach Castle Town! We'll be there fighting with you, we always will."

With this promise she was gone, turning away and returning to Varden. Link whistled softly to call Scar over, and Kindel scrambled onto the railing beside Link until he was nearly eye level.

"Where to now?" Link asked, resting his forearms against the rail and letting out a breath. The fatigue of the battle pressed down at him all at once as his adrenaline faded.

Kindel crossed his arms and looked down at the crowd. "For you, a shower. You've got enough brick dust on you to build a wall. And then, who knows? Are the spirits calling you anywhere this time?"

Link was partly tempted to shove Kindel off the building and down to the falling crowd. "Now that everything's come full circle, there's only one place we can go."

His face falling to seriousness, Kindel sat on the rail with a short huff. "Castle Town. We're going to find Gangstadorf and stick your mighty, glowing toothpick straight through his heart."

"For Zario." Link whispered, looking out over the rolling crowds, who were still raising their praises to the skies. "For Alder, for Zelda, for everyone that we've lost."

"And everyone we're going to find." Kindel replied, his voice firm above the cheers. "Everyone we're going to find again."

After saying a brief goodbye to Varden and Aralia, explaining their quick departure, Link was able to requisition Scar for a trip back to the surface.

"So soon? They'll be naming sandwiches after you at this rate!" Varden frowned, although he nodded in understanding. "I get it, Skyloft's safe for now. And all thanks to you, I'll rig these tapes up with that Resistance girl down in Clock Town, she's done some of our PR before."

Link's smile soured at the mention of Ashei – someone else to add to the list. He said his quick goodbyes to Aralia, watching as they peered over the edge of the building to the parades of people clogging the streets. His hand rested on the railing, pausing for just a moment as their shouts reached his ears. It was a strange feeling that he felt next, and one altogether unexpected – pride.

He reached up to smooth back his hair and his hands came away a streaked with scarlet. Wincing, Link swung his leg over Scar's back, waiting for Kindel to clamber up after him. Once the Korok had been sitauted he spurred the Loftwing forward, angling her downward towards the streets. Varden and Aralia's cheers trailed after him as he spiraled down, and crashing waves of sound plunged over him as the crowd caught sight of Scar's descending figure, hands reaching up in the air in a vain attempt to touch the Loftwing as she skimmed over the masses.

Link remained grim-faced as he passed over the crowd, their cheers ringing ironically in his ears. Yes, he had helped Skyloft in a small sense, but he was no great hero. Now that the blood had dripped into the gutters the crowd was all too ready to forgive and forget, and Link couldn't allow that to happen. Everyone had to grieve – he knew that better than anyone – and now was the time.

"It seems strange – Gangstadorf isn't here. He's gone, rooted out. Skyloft is free." Kindel perched his elbows on Link's shoulder, waving to the raised hands in a distracted way. "I don't know if I've ever been anywhere where we weren't under that great oaf's shadow, not even the Forest Village."

"I wouldn't say we're free quite yet." Link replied slowly, recalling the phantom in the silent realms. Was anywhere really safe? How was he supposed to defeat someone who was practically omnipresent, even in the realm of the goddesses?

"Oh, quit being dramatic and live a little. This is our victory, these peoples' and yours as well." Kindel thumped a fist against Link's shoulder, and Link raised his hands in a broad gesture of victory, a grin spreading across his face.

The hordes responded in an instant, their screams rising to a deafening level as Scar swooped over the crowd, her wingbeats brushing their hair as she swept over. Link saw Hylians embracing, Gorons clashing their hands together in a percussive round of applause, Zora punching their fists in the air. Now that Skyloft was free, to some degree, its residents had something they didn't have before – unity.

Scar reached the end of the street and rose upward with a serious of sweeping strokes, sending Link and Kindel on a slow glide around and down over the edge of the docks, providing them with a view of the drop down to the surface. She tossed her head backwards and met Link's eyes; he gave her a nod and she responded with a sharp cry, plunging forward in a dive to the clouds. Link clung to her wings as she fell, a graceful descent as sharp as an arrow, and soon he was practically perpendicular to the ground. The wind plastered his hair back and Kindel clung to his collar for dear life, his feet kicking in the air as he was raised from his perch with the Loftwing's speed.

The next moment Scar extended her wings, and all of Link's breath was punched from his lungs as she hovered. Clouds stacked like mountains around him, Skyloft fading to the size of his fist behind him. The smoke was finally starting to clear, dispelling in the wind as the blackness began to fade.

Link swore into the wind, gripping Scar's feathers tightly between his clenched fists. "Goddesses, Kindel, what am I doing?"

"Besides riding this hell beast, indulge me!" Kindel shouted back.

"I'm like some... I don't know, a Hire-A-Hero, popping into town for a day or so to clean things up. I haven't done anything real as long as I've had this!" He gestured to the sword strapped to his back. "Think about it – any idiot can give a speech, anyone can pull the trigger and take a plane down. There are real heroes dying on the streets every day, and I'm the one who gets the glory?"

The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them. "What if Gangstadorf's right?"

The Korok was silent for a moment, the scream of the wind thundering in Link's ears as they glided. "Don't you ever say that. The moment you give in is when Gangstadorf wins, and you throw your due handful of dirt on the graves of everyone that's believed in you, everyone that ever put stock in the cause they died to build up."

"Kindel, I haven't done anything worthwhile! Sure, I can swing my sword around and get some good shots for the Resistance. Maybe if I really want to I can rile up a crowd. But what else besides that? When is the last time I've had to use the Master Sword? The thing's spawning cobwebs!"

"The last time you used the sword you stuck it in the face of a mind-tunneling wraith that exploited your worst fears and memories. It was pretty sweet."

"No, it _wasn't_ sweet. That's the problem – the world isn't some TV show, I won't step out of my forty-five-minute window unscathed. Heroes don't get medals, they get knives in their ribs and wraiths in their brains, and what good am I then?"

Kindel's voice growled when he spoke again. "A hell of a lot more good than if you'd gone into the battle belly-up. You've got the Triforce of Courage, for Farore's sake! Why don't you stop acting like a kid and quit your incessant whining for once in your life?"

Link rounded on Kindel, nails biting into his palm as he forced down the urge to slap the Korok back to the surface. Already Kindel's anger was deflating, and he fixed Link with a tired expression.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean that."

"No, you did, and it's fine. I'm going to prove you wrong." Link raised his chin. "I'll show you I mean business. I'm going to change something, Kindel, and who'll be laughing then?"

Kindel ducked his head, a grin spreading across his face. "Certainly not Gangstadorf. There's the Courage I like to see."

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Man in High Castle Town, who distributes said footage of the Resistance to encourage rebellion. It's up to you to bring Castle Town to war!**

 **Don't forget to add a favorite story you've written in your review for me to read. It's my gift to you!**

 **Happy holidays and until next time!**


	56. The Calm Before The Storm

**Welcome back to another chapter of Remnants! Hope you're having an amazing Friday.**

 **We left off with Skyloft triumphant after midair battling... Where will the quest of the Hero lead us next?**

 **Read on!**

They touched down at the edge of Castle Town as night was falling, with a thrashing wind a nip in the air that kept anyone wise huddled up inside. Link and Kindel stayed in the shadows as best they could, but once they had reached the center of the city all inconspicuousness went out the window. Crowds of people bustled here and there, keeping their heads down and fighting against the wind, too many for Link's hoodie to fool. He noticed that most of the people steered clear of him, giving him and Kindel a wide berth, and when he looked in a shop window he realized why.

He hadn't had a chance to clean up from the battle, and it showed. Blood caked at his hairline and down his face, and his body was covered with scratches and brick dust. Link couldn't imagine what he smelled like in this state, probably rancid. One passerby raised his phone and snapped a picture of Link as he stormed past, Kindel hot at his heels.

"So much for a surprise entrance." Kindel grumbled, nodding to a brightly lit hotel nearby. "How about I buy the room, okay? I think you'd scare the lady at the front desk out of her wits."

Link shrugged and took a seat outside, pulling his hood down over his face as he waited. No one seemed to give him a second glance, too busy running about their everyday business, and as night fell the crowd seemed only to hurry faster to their destinations. As Link's eyes wandered over the streets he noticed a strange lack of Bokoblins – maybe they were too busy filling the ranks of Gangstadorf's army.

The sounds of an argument reached his ears and he stepped into the hotel, a wave of warmth rushing over him as he passed over the threshold. Kindel stood on the desk of the hotel, bickering openly with a young girl who stood behind it. Neither looked very happy with one another.

"I told you, we can't accept credits or an IOU. What do you think we are, a charity?" The girl snapped, crossing her arms with a defiant expression on her face.

"Look, lady, ease up a bit. We won't stay long, we'll be gone before you know it."

"A likely story!" She raised her nose, and Link stepped up to the desk.

"Is something wrong here?"

The girl's eyes darted to meet his, widening when she took in his battered visage. A hand flew to her mouth as recognition bloomed across her features, and she grasped at the desk as she slumped forward. Link was worried that she had fainted, but when she looked back up again her features reflected a sour sort of expression, and he wasn't sure why.

"N-nothing at all." The girl murmured, eyes flashing with shock, then a look of something far more devious. "Suites are up the stairs and to your right. Any one of your choosing is yours."

"We appreciate it. I don't have much..." Link fished for Zelda's pouch at his waist, but the girl reached a hand forward to stop him.

"Just take him down for me. That's all the payment we need."

The girl hadn't been kidding when she had said _suites –_ the hotel room was rather swanky, with a large television perched on the wall and a minibar. Link made a beeline for the shower, eager to wash off what felt like a year's worth of dust and grime, and he stayed under the spray until the water turned ice-cold. When he emerged from the steamy bathroom a clean set of clothes lay ready for him, probably scrounged up by Kindel, and they fit surprisingly well. Kindel himself stepped back into the room minutes later, laden with what appeared to be large woven baskets full of food.

"The desk girl slipped them to me. I'm not complaining. For all of her nice actions she seems kind of angry, doesn't she?" He unwrapped the plastic around the gifts to reveal fancy-looking cheeses, crackers, and a bottle of champagne that probably cost more than all of Link's worldly possessions. Two other baskets lay beside the first, but Kindel elected to open them later.

They made an impromptu dinner on the room's enormous bed, and Link sank down about a foot in the plush mattress when he sat on it. Being surrounded by all of this wealth after roughing it in swamps and deserts set Link slightly on edge, and he was nervous to turn on the lamp for fear he would break it. After Moruge marsh even a higher-end hotel seemed like paradise.

Kindel flipped on the news, and Link absorbed what he had missed after they departed from Clock Town. Anxious-looking newscasters reported exorbitant figures of rebels that had been arrested, glamorous shots of burning street blocks, and a translated section of some particularly nasty Bokoblin grunting about military success.

Castle Town hadn't fallen, as one infographic displayed, with colored sections denoting which blocks were still held tightly by rebels. The battle was over houses, inches even, as the population of the city threw itself against the forces of Gangstadorf. The strained smile of the newscaster told volumes about the situation there, and Link couldn't help but smile as well.

Skyloft earned a fleeting reference about daring pilots and military advances, but Link knew that the battle was through. The city had stood attack, and it would come to fight when he called.

Clock Town itself was a strange situation, earning an infograhpic of its own on the news channel. Pockets of resistance were highlighted across the map and only growing, if the statistics proved anything. The center of the city was staunchly protected by mobs of Bokoblin soldiers, but as Link watched the borders would bend and flex in response to new data. Worry stabbed at his gut like a dagger as he watched – were the Resistance members safe? All of the soldiers who had risen up, only to fall back under Gangstadorf...

Three loud knocks echoed at his door, and he rose to greet the desk clerk. She had a particularly defiant expression shining through her blush, but she seemed unable to meet his eyes when she spoke.

"There's a meeting in the cellar if you want to come." She brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, staring at him for a moment before running down the hall and out of sight.

"Looks like you can really pick 'em, Kindel. Who would have known this was a rebel headquarters?"

"Er, right. Yes. I can really pick them." Kindel nodded with affirmation, quickly covering up his previous confusion.

Locking the door behind them, Link started for the elevator with Kindel behind him, wary for any prying eyes as he walked. They stepped into the lift and Link pressed the 'door close' button as quickly as he could, and they started on a smooth descent down as far as they could go. The elevator had only fallen a few floors when it jolted to a halt, the lightly flickering to a dim shade.

"Great. Another test?" Link rolled his eyes, then reached back for the Master Sword. His hand gripped empty air, and he realized he had left the blade back in the hotel room – he hadn't expected a rebel meeting to include a situation like _this._

A panel of the ceiling shifted away and a small shadow fell in after it. Link and Kindel leaped to the railing, trying to jam the panel before it slid back into place, but they were too late. A low scuttling sound echoed from the floor, and Link eyed the creature with apprehension.

"Did you know that rats can pack in the most pounds of pressure out of any animal? I'd hate to be on the receiving end of their bite." A voice sounded from the elevator's speakers, and Link recognized the desk girl's saccharine sweet tone. "You'll know what to do with it." The intercom clicked off, and soothing Muzak played in its place.

"That is a rat of unusual size." Kindel commented, and Link had to agree with him – the lumbering form below them looked like more of a small dog than a rat. "Do you have anything to kill it with?"

Link reached for his belt, thanking the goddesses he had had the sense to take Zelda's pouch with him before he left. Reaching into the bag up to the elbow, he rummaged around until he found one of Zelda's arrows buried deep amongst the clutter he had managed to collect. He pulled the arrow out, and a piercing golden glow filled the elevator. The rat fixed its beady eyes on Link, clicking its jowls together as it scurried closer.

He was about to leap when he turned to Kindel. "What if it's a test?"

"No shit it's a test!" Kindel shouted back. "I think they'd forgo the bloodthirsty rat if it wasn't a test!"

"Besides that. I don't know, what if we're supposed to show compassion or something?"

" _To dog-rats?"_

Link turned his attention to the ceiling, where the panel had slid closed and released the rat. Hooking his boot under the elevator's rail for balance, he leaned backwards and raised the arrow to the screws in the panel, fitting the metal neatly into the grooves. Slowly he twisted the shaft of the arrow like a makeshift screwdriver, and the screw fell out cleanly.

"One down, three to go." He called back to Kindel, who looked exasperated.

"Did you ever think that, I don't know, we _shouldn't_ re-open the hatch that just released a massive, bloodthirsty rat on us?"

Turning back to the panel, Link made quick work of the final screws and dropped the metal panel on the floor. Yawning darkness opened up above the elevator, and he reached forward for something to use to pull himself up. His hands caught on a massive cable and he released his foothold on the elevator, dangling in empty space for a moment before he pulled himself up. His arms throbbed when he stood upright on top of the elevator, but he flashed Kindel a grin and nodded to the shaft.

"Well? Keep up, old man."

Rolling his eyes, Kindel drifted upwards easily with a spurt of Korok magic. "What now, wise guy?"

Link opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted as the elevator continued its downward journey. Soon it settled neatly on the ground, and the doors slid open to reveal a well-lit room below. Much to Link's relief the rat scurried out and into a cage, and he and Kindel dropped down into the elevator.

"Welcome. You can understand our concern, a spate of fake Heroes have arisen ever since your reveal in Clock Town. All of the fakes ran away screaming when they saw Arlo here." A white-haired, pleasant looking man smiled warmly at Link, nudging his boot against the giant rat's cage.

Kindel snorted and Link had to refrain from doing the same – after the Forest Golem and battling phantom Gangstadorf himself, one rat was nothing. "A pleasure to meet you, mister...?"

"The name's Erik, son. A pleasure. I've heard a lot about your antics from the news." The man chuckled at Link's troubled expression. "The Resistance channels, of course. You're quite the urban legend in this town. I hear they've started selling your action figures now."

"Er... Right." Link shook the man's hand, then took a double-take when he observed the basement floor. A familiar face smiled back at him, one he hadn't seen since Clock Town. "Rusl?"

"In the flesh! Someone has to take point in Castle Town." He shook Link's hand as well, nodding his head back to a mess of tables and low-burning lanterns. "Preparations are going according to plan, but I'll bore you with the logistics later."

"I see you've met my daughter, Karane." Erik jabbed his thumb in the direction of the desk clerk girl, who crossed her arms in the way of someone trying to look intimidating.

"I say Arlo should have eaten him." She looked Link up and down, smirking slightly. "He didn't even bring the sword."

"I'm sure you have plenty on hand for my photoshoot." Two could play at that game – Link narrowed his eyes at Karane, earning him the slightest smile in return.

"Poster boy here would probably stick his sword up his ass if he tried to swing it." Karane retorted. Link was surprised; she hadn't been nearly this hostile when they had first met. Without another word the girl turned on her heel and stomped away, disappearing behind a stack of leaning boxes.

Erik cleared his throat uncomfortably. "You must forgive Karane – her fiancee was killed in the uprising. You can understand why she may have a distaste for this sort of thing."

"What sort of thing?" Link replied, suspicious. If he had to make up another speech again he was going to hurl himself from the Castle Skyscraper.

"We've coordinated with Resistance members in Clock Town for a mass media broadcast, a rally to action. It's going to be timed with your entrance into the Castle Skyscraper, so that the people will fight alongside you all the way to the top. Gangstadorf's office, of course." Erik's eyes took on a flinty sort of hardness, anticipation brimming in each word. "Just a few words to really incite them, to light a fire that'll start the blaze. You've done it once before."

Link dropped his gaze to his boots. _And look what it did..._ His eyes trailed to the boxes where Karane had disappeared to. "Give me a second, I'll be right back." He brushed past Erik and jogged past the tables and cargo, rounding the corner to reveal a tight crawl space behind the boxes.

Karane sat huddled in the space, raising reddened eyes when Link approached. "What do you want? Don't you have to go touch up your makeup or something?"

"You're a real crowd pleaser." Kindel grumbled at Link's ankles, and he nudged to Korok into silence. Link sat on the floor as well, earning a sneer from Karane.

"Don't get your digs dirty for me."

"Tell me about him." Link settled back on his heels, watching as Karane's anger left her in an instant. She released a low breath, composing herself before speaking in a measured tone.

"His name was Ronnie and he was wonderful. He was always the one sticking his neck out for the little guy, you know? Earned him quite a few scrapes with the Gerudo –" She gestured to the ceiling, "But he didn't mind. So long as he was helping out, he was happy. I met him with the Resistance, you know. Dad was always a rebel, he was practically raised one, so I had to follow in his footsteps. I'm glad I did because then I met him."

Karane's voice rose to a garbled sob and she brushed a tear from her cheek, face hardening. "He was out there on the front lines when it happened. A squad of Bokoblins had broken through an alley and were pouring into our sector, and he was the first one there to respond. Crossbows firing from the hip, loading so fast you could hardly track his motions. When they got an arrow in his leg he pulled his sword and kept going at them... They couldn't take him down. That was Ronnie, insurmountable."

Kindel stepped forward while Karane spoke and placed a small hand on her knee, empathy radiating from his tiny form as he listened. She gave the Korok a bare smile and continued.

"They took off his ring when they killed him, and I guess I'll never find it again. I want to kill every last one of those loathsome, filthy pigs." She seethed, eyes rising to meet Link. "Okay, I'll say it, I'm sorry. It's just... You're out there, smiling for cameras and getting whole talk shows dedicated to your cause. But Ronnie was a hero too, okay? And I think that's the point of this whole business, that it's more that yourself. That other people hurt, and other people fight alongside you. They're just as good of heroes as you are."

Link bowed his head, keeping his eyes trained on Karane's flaming gaze. "You dad's planning a broadcast, right? Goddesses, I hate them. I had to pull a lifeless body from a gunner's station to take a plane down, and I hear them yammering about good footage."

Karane's smile widened. "You're the first person I've met who understands – and the last person I would expect to. I was too harsh before."

Link shook his head, offering his hand to help her up. "Let's make sure the world isn't so ill-informed."

As they walked back Kindel scampered onto Link's shoulder, tugging at his clothes in great handfuls as he climbed. "Who are you and what have you done to Link? Last time you practically wet your pants before a speech, and now you're all gung-ho about it? Either you just grew a pair made of pressurized carbon or something's going on here."

Link shrugged, nearly dislodging Kindel from his post in the process. "What can I say? I've changed."

Rusl dragged them to the side, near a wide table stacked high with blueprints, maps and enough graphs to bury a Goron six feet deep. His expression was as serious as Erik's or Karane's, and his pockets were stuffed with papers that were probably key to rebel military strategies. "I hate to dump this on you so fast, but we're experiencing diminishing returns to scale here with the whole rebel business."

"Gesundheit. Hylian, please?" Kindel drawled.

"It means the longer we linger here, drawing up maps and plans and actually preparing for this invasion, the less of a response we'll get. Our forces can't last forever – Nayru willing we'll hold our lines tomorrow – and soon Gangstadorf will sweep the Resistance under the carpet. We need to act, and now."

"What's stopping us?" Link nodded to Rusl, setting his jaw. "The sooner we can get this over with, the better. I came to this town with the sole purpose of taking Gangstadorf down, with or without Resistance support. You can bet I'm going in, but will you stand alongside me?"

It was the first time he had addressed Rusl in a superior manner, and he half expected the man to chide him for it, but Rusl pulled himself to his full height and jutted his chin forward. "You can rely on us, Hero."

Link turned to see Erik hovering behind him, wringing his hands together in an expectant way. "A man of action, I like it! Just a bit of footage and you'll be on your way, Hero." As he led Link away from the tables he leaned in closer, dropping his voice lower. "You've got more guts than I expected, and confidence to boot! The people will love you."

As Karane wheeled about an enormous stage camera Link could only hope that the man was right.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the R.O.U.S. (Resistance Of Unusual Size) Organization, whose goal is to bring as many fighters to the side of justice as possible. A small donation can pay off in an unusually large way!**

 **As an update: I'm** ** _so_** **close to finishing writing Remnants. Once I do I'll start updating twice a week, probably on Tuesdays and Fridays. ARE YOU EXCITED OR WHAT?**

 **Until next time!**


	57. Call To Action

**Welcome back to another Friday of Remants! Hope your New Years have been great :)**

 **For those of you who are getting snow like I am, bundle up and get ready for some fanfiction!**

 **Read on!**

Their impromptu broadcast station was comprised of a brick wall, a massive camera, and, much to Link's chagrin, the Hero's clothes.

"You have to wear it. It's a thing now, it's your gimmick."

"My what?" Link asked as he looked in the tiny hand mirror Kindel was holding up, desperately trying to wrangle his collar into shape.

"Your gimmick, your shtick. It's what makes your recognizable."

"And uncomfortable," Link grumbled, patting down his hair as he put on the long windsock cap. "How do I look?"

Kindel morphed his grimace into a wan smile. "Would you believe me if I said dashing?"

"You're not helping, Mr. Don't-Give-In-To-Gangstadorf." Link swiped at the mirror, and Kindel dodged out of his grip with a nimble jump.

"You want inspirational mode? I'll give you inspirational mode. You've already gained the people's trust, you just need to spur them on. You said it yourself, right? No matter what happens you're going in there. So this is just an extra bonus, right?"

Link nodded. "Thanks for the sage advice. Inspirational mode is growing on me."

Kindel jumped out of the way of the camera as Karane wheeled it closer, adjusting the lens deftly. "Dad's contacting Clock Town right away, so we'll be on air any minute now. For Ronnie, right?"

Giving her a thumbs-up, Link turned and tried to assemble some idea of what he could possibly say. There were so many things he wanted to express to the people of Hyrule, but all of them seemed so wrong. How could he possibly get someone to follow him?

Then his gaze fell on Rusl frantically marking over a sprawling map of Castle Town, and Erik toting lighting equipment. He was home, and he was prepared to take it back.

A sharp pinging sounded from the camera, and Erik bustled over, huffing slightly under his burden. He gave Karane a pointed look and she started counting down on her fingers, Link's time slowly ticking down to one...

A wash of light spread over the wall and Link looked squarely into the center of the camera's lens, a red light flickering deep inside of the machinery. He stood firm, not giving an inch under the scrutinizing gazes of the Hylians, Gorons, Zora, Koroks, anyone who was watching. He would stand firm now as he would against Gangstadorf, he would prove himself.

"If there's one thing I've learned traversing the realm, it's that there are a lot of heroes out there. And yeah, I mean heroes with a capital 'H.'

"It's easy to think of the world as all about you, isn't it? Just pushing through the days, keeping to yourself and your own. It's taken me a long journey and a few brushes with death to realize it, but I know this truth too.

"We spend too long glorifying the obvious Heroes, the ones with fancy swords and costumes, to look at the real heroes. The ones who put their neck on the line for the sake of strangers. The ones who stand and fight, because they know the world's bent and they want to put it right. The ones who know goodness. I tell you, they're just as much of a Hero as I am, sans gimmicks." He flashed a smile at Kindel.

"Something Gangstadorf doesn't understand is that heroes will always rise to fight. You can't beat people into the dust, because the best of us will always spring back. And that's what I'm asking you to do.

"Quite frankly, I'm going without you. I came to this town with the express purpose to defeat Gangstadorf. I'm not saying I don't need your help, but I'll be storming those doors with two at my side or two thousand. Let's be honest here, for once – someone is going to die. Some good people will fall, but is it better to fall at the hand of a Bokoblin or the guillotine?

"What I'm trying to say is, every life matters. I don't care how much red you've got on your ledger. I don't care if you're a coward, or if you're a decorated war hero. In battle the most humble can become the most revered. It's time to show your stripes.

"This isn't a fight for me. It's a fight for everyone you've loved and everyone you've lost, in the hope that we won't have to lose any more.

"I know I'll be at those doors. The question is, will you be there with me?"

Link raised his chin, staring with defiance into the lens of the camera until the lens dipped down, its red light sinking back to black. Karane looked over the metal, tears tracing down her cheeks. She gave Link a watery smile, and Erik let out a low whistle.

"Clock Town's busy doubling the broadcast, and it's running on every channel. The whole realm will have heard your name by the end of this night."

"And Gangstadorf will be waiting," Kindel replied grimly. "We've just alerted him of your coming, so any element of surprise we possessed is gone."

Link shook his head. "He always knew. It was only a matter of when. Tomorrow at dawn, then?"

Erik's faces split into a grin and he clapped a hand on Link's shoulder. "I couldn't think of a better time. Rusl will help you prepare, of course, and we have a day to make our plan of attack. But you'll need some rest, I presume. Karane, why don't you escort Link back to his room?"

The elevator doors slid closed, locking out the warmth of the rebel headquarters. As the lift slowly began to raise Karane turned to Link, her eyes burning with a familiar sort of intensity.

"Did you really mean what you said?"

"I'll go all on my own if that's what it takes." Link shrugged his shoulders, leaning back onto the metal walls.

"No, not that. About every life having value, us all being heroes. Or was that all for show?"

Kindel snorted from the ground, and Karane looked down sharply. "The Hero may be an asshole, miss, but he's not that much of an asshole. He means it."

"Thank you, Kindel..." Link sighed, rolling his eyes when the Korok wasn't looking.

His hotel room was unchanged from when he had left, and Link flipped on the television to see his own face staring down at him, repeating over and over his impromptu speech. He looked a miserable sight, with faint smears of blood across his forehead and a haggard, solid sort of expression thrown into shadow by the dramatic lighting. Already the first responders were reporting in riots and shifts in the stagnant rebel lines, an uprising in the making.

Link was shocked and surprised, really. He watched as news channels frantically tried to pull up information on him, interspersed with footage from the battle of Skyloft and his previous speech in Clock Town. The people were rallying to a symbol, _his_ symbol, so willingly. The shock of it was humbling – how could he ever repay them for their help?

 _By bringing Gangstadorf down._

Rusl poked his head in the door minutes later, toting scrolls and flaking parchments in his arms. "Just in case you want to do a little research on the Skyscraper before you go barging in. Some little blue guy came in a few weeks ago and dumped all this intel on us, it's been incredible for maneuvering the sewers and stuff. Might want to give it a look."

Link grinned as he carried Rusl's supplies to the desk – he knew exactly who had brought in the information to the Resistance. _Thanks for this, Zario._

He and Kindel stayed up far too late into the night pouring over the maps and documents, some so fragile with age that they cracked under Kindel's delicate touch. The manifestations of the Castle Skyscraper over time varied significantly, but the most notable was a massive castle that had stood decrepit until Gangstadorf bulldozed it in favor of his offices.

"Check this out." Kindel waved a clipping of newspaper like a flag. "This picture here, it was taken just before the whole foundation-breaking ceremony. What do you see?"

Link squinted at the dark photograph, mottled with ink and age. "Um... Stones."

"Exactly!" Kindel slapped his palm against the page. "What would a good medieval castle be without dungeons and underground passageways?"

"And what would an office building be without them either?" Link sat back on the bed, glancing at the ever-mounting piles of parchment with a sigh. "I bet Gangstadorf cleaned them out and made them torture chambers when he built the Skyscraper."

"That's our way in. Rusl even tipped us off – sewers, remember? We can work our way over there and come in from the bottom, then storm our way to the top!"

"It's a theory, Kindel, but I think the Resistance wants something more glamorous than sewers."

His words fell on deaf ears. The Korok spun in the desk chair and began to chatter in Ancient Hylian, and fragments of paper started to zoom around the room, organizing in neat piles. Link set down the scroll he was skimming and instead took out Zelda's map, leaning in close to make out the tiny script that surrounded Castle Town. He was reading a short paragraph about the city when he noticed a bit of the map had started to peel away. The parchment curled away at his touch, and our of curiosity he wedged a nail under the scrap and slowly peeled it away from its base.

Hidden underneath the image of Castle Town was a real castle, painted boldly in strokes of gold, highlighted with brilliant primary colors. Its stones and towers were meticulously colored, and Zelda had written only two words beside the strange shape – _alternate world._

"Kindel, what do you make of this?" He waved the Korok over, and Kindel looked over his shoulder at the hidden image on the map.

"Alternate world... Your guess is as good as mine. Are there any other flaps like that one?"

They perused the features of the map with great caution, but the only section that would tear away was over Castle Town.

"Okay, Zelda's a smart girl. She wouldn't give us a clue like this haphazardly, so we can assume that this alternate world is limited to Castle Town."

"Specifically, the Skyscraper." Link tapped a finger against the golden castle. "What do you think it means?"

Kindel tapped a finger against his chin, leaving a small blot of ink there as his hand moved away. "Would you like my professional opinion? Another silent realm. The three goddesses and Hylia, right there."

Link nodded his head slowly. "This is why I keep you around, Kindel. That's actually not too shabby of an idea."

"Are you kidding? You'd be six feet under by now if it weren't for me. I expect a salary after this Gangstadorf business is through."

The smile faded from Link's face as he let out a low breath. "About that, Kindel... I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Sure, hit me." Kindel sat back against an enormous plush pillow that practically enveloped him, unfurling a scroll before him like a curtain.

"As amusing as that would be, I'm afraid I can't. Look, I know I don't have much, but if something happens... Give my stuff to the Resistance or something. Anyone who needs it." Link untied Zelda's pouch from his belt, weighing the bag in one hand. He could almost feel the objects jangling against each other inside of the space – surely some of the weapons and items could be worth something on the black market. The Resistance would make good use of them.

"What did we talk about? Positivity?" Kindel groaned from behind the scroll. "Your purpose in life is to kill the party."

"Are you kidding? Check out the revolting crowds singing my praises, I _am_ the party." Link retorted. "I still think this is some kind of crazy dream, and I'll wake up with Bokoblin police shoving an arrow down my throat."

"You did look pretty badass on screen. Besides, it was time. It _is_ time, we're finally going to change something." Kindel lowered the paper and gave Link a poignant look, paired with a broadening grin.

"Look who's talking – you should be the one up there giving speeches." Looping the pouch back around his belt, Link walked over to the desk and dragged out a massive, dusty tome from the stacks. He skimmed through the pages for a few minutes before looking up at Kindel, who was busy making his scroll fly doughnuts around his head.

"Kindel, you're coming, right?"

"To what, watch you stick the Master Sword through the Gerudo's overlarge nose? You bet I'll be there. I'm with you till the end of the line, like it or not."

"Thanks, Kindel."

"Of course, I'll also be there for when Gangstadorf sticks his sword through _your_ overlarge nose."

"Thanks, Kindel."

 **I have some pretty important news: I FINISHED WRITING REMNANTS. (AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH)**

 **Well, sort of. I haven't finished the epilogue yet. But you know what this means? Tuesday updates as well as Fridays! I can't wait!**

 **What do you think of the alternate world? What does it mean? Tell me your thoughts in your review...**

 **Until next time!**


	58. Invasion

**REMNANTS' FIRST TUESDAY UPDATE! I feel like this is meaningful somehow.**

 **Are you ready to storm the Castle Skyscraper? Be prepared... It may seem different than what you had in mind :)**

 **Read on!**

Link didn't remember exactly when he fell asleep, but he woke to the sound of fireworks and his face pressed against the pages of _Hyrule, A History._ The popping explosions from outside of the window came as a surprise, and he looked blearily out the window to see that it was still before dawn. Kindel was similarly jolted awake and began to mutter darkly, pulling himself from the pillows of the bed.

"War rouses herself early, huh?" The Korok called to Link, tossing a few of the newer books that had been delivered onto the floor as he clambered down. "You had better sharpen up, you have an appointment with destiny at three."

"You're so clever." Link disengaged his face from _Hyrule, A History_ and pulled his boots on, taking a minute to scrub any remaining grime off of his face and hands. He looked remotely presentable as he straightened the Hero's clothes, the Master Sword gleaming brightly from its scabbard. Anxiety gnawed at his stomach as he walked back over to Kindel, spreading his hands wide.

"How do I look?"

"About as sharp as a butterknife, but you'll do." Kindel replied. "Have you got everything we need? Scrolls, books, handkerchiefs from your assortment of lovers?"

"You wish." Link shoved Kindel away as he dropped a handful of scrolls into Zelda's pouch for safekeeping – blueprints of the Castle Skyscraper and any plans Zario had scrounged up about the original castle. Zelda's clue couldn't go unaccounted for. "Who are we supposed to meet up with?"

"That would be me." Karane knocked briskly before letting herself into the room, danging a key from one finger when she saw Kindel's shocked expression. "Dad wanted to give you some kind of triumph through the streets, but I argued from something a little more subdued."

Kindel hurried to the window, peeking through the shutters as they sprang apart with a _clack._ "You call a _motorcade_ subdued?"

Karane simply shrugged, her eyes sparkling with laughter and excitement. "He is the Hero, after all." She turned on her heel to face Link, then sprang forward and embraced him. Link stiffened and gave her an awkward pat on the shoulder and she pulled away soon after, sweeping something from her cheek as they parted. "This just means a lot for my family – make me proud today, okay?"

Link nodded quickly and she departed as quickly as she had come. As soon as Karane was out of earshot he groaned and leaned against the desk, pressing his palms against his temples.

"If you're going to be sick, try not to aim for me." Kindel supplied helpfully.

"Goddesses, Kindel, this is the real deal. I'm actually going to go fight him. This is really happening." Link took in a slow breath, his heart pounding against his ribcage so forcefully he wondered if it would burst. "I've met so many people on this crazy adventure, and every single one of them is bargaining on me to save them. I can't let them down!"

"And you won't. You're the Hero, things have got to end up right for you."

"This isn't some sappy kid's movie, Kindel. People don't get happy endings anymore!"

"Then maybe it's time to change that, and you won't be changing anything if you don't step foot outside of this room. Look, I know the other side to the Hero, the one the people don't get to see. Sure, he's kind of a wuss at times, and a loser to boot, but he's got heart and the strength to make a difference. Add this whole Hero business to the top of that and you've got a force to be reckoned with. Now get out the damn door!"

The motorcade was, in a word, impressive. Two beefy guards, armed to the teeth, flanked Link's descent down the steps of the hotel and to the door of a sleek-looking open-topped limousine, where Erik sat waiting with a few other balding men who looked to be very important. Immediately a deafening roar rose from a crowd that stuffed the streets and faded out of sight down the winding roads of Castle Town, and the popping fireworks began again in earnest. A cluster of fairies fluttered over the throng in brilliant array, and even a few Stalfos had the gall to show up, although they were given a wide berth by the rest of the crowd.

As Link approached the car he noticed a cluster of familiar-looking Gerudo, scimitars strapped to their backs and pointed spears thrust to the sky. Link skirted the edge of the car and walked to the foremost Gerudo, who was beaming broadly.

"Aveil? You've come?" He asked, and they exchanged a firm handshake.

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this fight for the world!" Aveil angled her eyes to the Castle Skyscraper yawning upwards in the distance, the sparks of fire burning in her irises. "You look... Different, Hero. Older. May we survive to see the _real_ gray hairs, huh?"

"Agreed." Link couldn't keep a smile from his face as he observed the Gerudo forces milling about behind Aveil. He knew firsthand how strong they were, and he needed all the backup he could get when storming the Skyscraper.

"If you're done with introductions we're ready for you!" Erik called back from the car, and Link leaped inside as it started a lazy course down the streets, which were mobbed with warriors and citizens. Most hoisted some sort of weapon aloft, even as simple as a pickax or a trowel, and a certain fiery determination thundered in their steps as they walked alongside the car. Sirens wailed through the air, barely audible above a muddle of chants and pounding footsteps, along with the occasional boom of fireworks.

Link stood in the back of the car, keeping his eyes fixed on the Skyscraper as they drove. The worry in his gut was mixed with a strange sort of anticipation, and his gaze drifted to the side where his welcoming party paraded alongside him.

Packs of Gorons rolled through the streets, their bodies clattering loudly against the paving stones as they wove in and out of the motorcade. Hylians marched forward with stoic expressions, shields unstrapped from their backs and finally getting some use. Every creature imaginable hurried through the streets, more often armed and ready to battle than not, and Link looked up to see a squadron of Loftwings circling above him, a noticeable streak of crimson darting across the sky. He waved to the Loftwing's pilot, who responded with a quick loop through the air, then made a beeline for the Skyscraper.

Kindel stood propped up by the car's armrest, peering out the open window with fascination. "You really draw a crowd, don't you?"

"I guess you could say that." Link replied, reaching backward and drawing the Master Sword almost instinctively as the shadow of the skyscraper loomed nearer. The brilliant glow of the blade earned him a variety of _oohs_ and _aahs_ from the assembled crowd. His fingers reached for Zelda's pouch to draw his shield as well, but he instead gripped the edge of the car door. Something about the nearing battle was making him very defensive.

In too short an amount of time the motorcade had reached the front of the Skyscraper. It was a very strange structure, as if the building itself were accepting the fact that it was horribly out of place. The jagged metal stood crookedly in its foundation, with concrete shards scattered across the cornerstones. A gently sloping walkway spread forward from the doorway in a fan shape, the steps of which were packed with protesters and warriors.

Kindel raised his head above the door and puckered his brow. "Something's off here. There's magic around these parts, I'm sure of it."

"This is Gangstadorf we're talking about – he hijacks silent realms with phantom embodiments of his soul. It would make sense there's magic around."

Kindel shook his head firmly. "This is different. It's... Older."

With that ominous statement, Erik ushered Link from the car and onto the pavement. Holding the Master Sword drawn at his side, Link slowly walked forward, keeping his neck craned back to observe the enormous height of the building as it reached above him. A cacophony of cheers, jeers, and utter clamor pounded at him from all sides, a battle cry raised until the entirely of Castle Town was screaming for blood. He clenched his grip on the Master Sword to ensure his hands weren't shaking and the crowd parted before him, making a direct path to the doorway of the Skyscraper.

Kindel tugged at Link's pant leg, freezing him with a serious gaze. "This is it. No more nonsense, no more games. People are going to die today." Suddenly his voice broke and he dropped his eyes to his tiny feet. "Link, I know I'm doing the opposite of what I told you to, but if I don't come back... I want you to bury me in the Forest Village. Peace at last, yeah?"

Link couldn't help but smile, but not unkindly. "It won't come to that, believe me. You'd bore Gangstadorf to death before he could draw his sword."

"Yeah, and you'd –"

Erik gently nudged Link forward and their banter ceased. Link leaned back to the man and whispered a few short phrases in his ear. "No more speeches. Let's get this thing over with. Are you ready?"

He was met with eyes that gleamed with excitement and anger. "Never been more ready. We have people from Clock Town who sold their lives away to come here and fight. Are you?"

Turning away from Erik, Link watched as the crowd unfolded before him, hopeful faces all fixed on him. Without uttering a word he raised the Master Sword aloft, a flare of gold leaping off its blade, and the tidal wave surged toward him. Cries of triumph shook the stars as Link turned on his heel and charged, Kindel running behind him, and plunged into the doors of the Castle Skyscraper.

A very strange sight awaited him as he entered. Stone walls stretched into darkness before him, knobbled and dusty with age. A single, threadbare carpet reached across the bumpy, half-smoothed rocks that formed the ground's tiles, and in some places the fabric had worn through entirely. Torches crouched in black metal brackets, filling the room with a musty sort of smoke. Link slowly edged forward, keeping the Master Sword at the ready as his boots scuffed against the carpet. The room reminded him of the Tokay chamber in Crackariko Village – empty, but with a lurking sense of danger.

The first massive bolt rocketed through the air like it was shot from a cannon, and Link leaped to the side it punched through the doorway mere yards from where he stood. A cry of alarm rose from the crowd as it lodged in the twisted metal of the door, and Link drew his shield from Zelda's pouch as another bolt as long as he was tall crashed into the wall beside him, sending shrapnel flying through the air. Sharp shards of rock bit into Link's neck and he turned as the dust cleared to see a few fallen bodies, groaning in pain as others dragged them from the battle.

A loud rumbling thundered from the interior of the room and Link watched as four enormous crossbows rolled forward from the darkness, so large they could barely fit inside the castle's low ceilings. They were manned by crafty-looking Bokoblins, who wheeled the bolts around in the direction of the mass of soldiers. Link was already prepared, though, and let loose with the Fire Rod, sending a wall of flames forward to char the fragile contraptions.

Gasps of surprise and admiration sounded from the crowd behind Link as the coiled ropes of the crossbows snapped under the heat, lashing backwards like whips and knocking a few Bokoblins away from their posts. The rest succumbed to the white-hot flames, and Link only released the stream of fire when the last wails had subsided. A few patches of the carpet still burned, but the crossbows were ruined and their handlers charred to oblivion.

"What's going on here?" Link muttered to Kindel as more of the soldiers poured into the room, observing the medieval-like scene with confusion.

Kindel merely pointed to Link's hand, where a golden light glowed faintly underneath the glove. "Magic, like I said. We very well may be standing inside the old castle of Hyrule."

Link shook his head in disbelief. "Like, _Castle Town_ castle? The one Gangstadorf supposedly cleared out ages ago? Do you mean to say that the Castle Skyscraper is just an illusion?" It was a bit too much to wrap his head around; even Gangstadorf wouldn't do something so extravagant.

Kindel simply shrugged, his mouth drawn in a thin line as he observed the situation. "Alternate world, remember? Anything's possible."

Wanting to make up for lost time, Link hurried forward through the remainder of what he assumed to be the foyer of the castle. The masses of the crowd were slowly pouring through the doors, and he didn't want to hold up the resistance as they observed the castle. Soon the majority of the soldiers were trailing after him warily as he led them to a series of wooden carved doors that seemed to stretch up to the ceiling. Link rested a hand against the wood, feeling its intricate designs beneath his gloves, and he rammed his shoulder against the bolt. The rusted metal snapped easily and an ancient-looking padlock clattered to the ground in pieces. Two grim-faced Gorons beside Link grabbed the dangling handles of the door and dragged them open, revealing a poorly lit, narrow corridor.

"This just keeps getting stranger." One of the Gorons quirked an eyebrow at Link, who nodded in affirmation.

"We'd best not tell him about the wraiths that crack into your brain." Kindel stage-whispered.

Holding the Master Sword aloft, Link and his rapidly growing entourage crept down the corridor. A few bats fluttered towards them as they walked, but nothing out of the ordinary seemed to want to make an appearance. The corridor itself seemed to exist only to annoy anyone who was trying to enter the temple, twisting this way and that without any sense of reason. The walls of the hall were decorated with a variety of dented shields, rusty chain mail and every barbaric weapon under the sun, including what looked to be a plain tree branch. The Resistance members quickly started to loot the best weapons from the walls, trading in their bent swords for battle-tested ones.

A loud clanking, presumably from the sudden increase of armor, followed Link as he reached the end of the corridor and opened another smaller door, made of the same carved wood as the first. This one seemed to be in worse repair, though, with moss and mold creeping up the face of the etchings. Link was tensed and ready for a fight the moment the doors clattered against the stone walls, but he was met with yet another surprising sight.

The largest arena he had ever seen stretched up before his eyes, focused on an enormous spherical depression in the ground that was marked off by rusted iron chains. Flights of stairs reached up into the gloomy shadows of the distant ceiling, flanked by rows and rows of benches as far as Link could see. The room could seat _thousands,_ and it looked like it hadn't been touched in years. Dust and grime caked every surface.

"Last time I was in some place like this, a bunch of monsters appeared out of the blue. Knock on wood, yeah?" Link muttered aside to Kindel, who pointed to the opposite side of the arena.

"Looks like your wish has been granted."

"What is it with villains and originality? Seriously." Link rolled his eyes as he spotted the shifting shadows in the distance, revealing a motley of Bokoblins, Skulltula and Chu as they scurried into the arena. The motley soon morphed into a _tide,_ though, and a battle cry rose from the Resistance as Link leaped forward, jumping over the chain and sliding down the length of the arena to face the oncoming horde.

His boots skidded beneath him as Link dropped down, the Master Sword leaping forward and cleaving the head of a Bokoblin neatly in two. The tidal wave of enemies overwhelmed him in seconds, and his feet moved effortlessly across the uneven stone flooring of the arena in a sort of dance of survival, keeping his eyes trained on the next foe. The rest of the soldiers met up with him in seconds, and soon they were pushing back against the waves of petty monsters swarming the room.

A low grinding thundered from the sides of the arena and Link glimpsed parts of the stone falling backwards to reveal iron bars. Snarling rose above the clamor of the battle and he looked up to see the massive forms of icy-white wolves rearing over the heads of the Bokoblins, their fur pointed like solid icicles and matted with centuries of grime. Their breath steamed in the humid, heavy-hanging air of the arena, and ice crackled beneath their paws with every pounding step they took. One fixed its pitch-black eyes on Link, revealing massive canines, and it loosed a chilling howl, bounding towards him with no regard for any foes or friends beneath its clawed paws.

Reaching down to Zelda's pouch, Link withdrew the Fire Rod and aimed it at the massive wolf, releasing a stream of blue and red flames directly into the face of the creature. Howls and yips of pain thundered above Link's head as the wolf's features warped inward like melting ice, collapsing in on themselves as the fire seared through the wolf's body. Before Link could let loose another blast a Resistance soldier darted under the creature's chest and thrust his sword into its body up to the hilt, and the wolf trickled out of existence into a puddle of water.

A second wolf reared forward and started to make after a pack of Resistance members. It was half-crazed with pain from a variety of spears and arrows buried in its hide, leaking blue blood down onto the stone floor. The wolf made a motion to charge the soldiers, but Link fixed a strafing beam of fire across the beast's flank as it darted past, forcing it to stumble onto its side on stilted legs. It crushed a group of confused-looking Bokoblin with a mighty crash, and was finished off soon afterwards.

Link's hands swung and struck almost on their own accord, gauging the reactions and motions of his attackers moments before they themselves did. The Resistance had some handy fighters, but Link was an unstoppable storm as he cut into the body of the monsters like a scalpel, smashing bone into sawdust and stabbing with deadly accuracy. Kindel was making himself useful as well, if the blasts of heat and wind had anything to say for himself, and in what seemed like minutes the enemies had been reduced to handfuls.

"We can clean this up. Go look around!" The gruff voice of Erik boomed behind him, and Link turned to see the man clutching a rather gnarled-looking club punched through with nails and slicked with red. The elderly man shooed him away, and Link snatched Kindel off of the corpse of a withered Skulltula he had been taunting.

"What? Flaunting our victory isn't allowed or something?" The Korok huffed, casting the Skulltula a baleful glare over his shoulder.

"We've got bigger problems." Link pointed to side at the final hatch that hadn't revealed a wolf, which lay open. "Do you think there's something nastier in there waiting for us?"

"Only one way to find out." Kindel sighed, ducking underneath a sword that swung his way as he started off for the hatch at a brisk trot.

Something nastier certainly lay in store, as Link found out when he ducked under the hatch and into a shaded chamber. Centuries of decay couldn't mask the smell of urine and filth, and he forced himself to breathe through his mouth as he wandered deeper into the unfolding chamber. The iron bars that had held back the wolves were multiplied tenfold in the form of a series of cages, each Hylian-sized and carpeted with soiled hay that had seen better days. Metal rattled above Link's head and he looked up to see a network of chains slung across the ceiling, from which dangled a variety of instruments. He could make out many handcuffs and other sinister-looking tools whose purposes he could only imagine.

"Did Gangstadorf keep _people_ in here? To fight in this ring?" Kindel's voice was laced with disgust and disbelief.

"It doesn't look like anyone's been here in a while. Somebody did, though." Link replied, edging around the corner of a cage and peering into the gloom. A strange shadow sat hunkered in the corner of the dungeon room, and the Master Sword was in his hands before he knew it. The shape didn't react, and when he drew closer he realized the shadow was a moldering chest.

"No sense in leaving it here, then." Link sheathed the Master Sword and dug out a Hookshot from Zelda's pouch. Hoisting it to his shoulder, he aimed the barbs at the chains and they latched on cleanly, pulling him over the top of the cage and into the cramped space. Link barely had room to kick open the chest, which revealed a similarly decrepit-looking key.

"Why is everything we find so old?" Kindel grumbled as he snatched the key from Link's hands. "What I would give for a nice, clean dungeon, with keycards instead of rotting walls and gladiatorial games. Sheesh."

When Link exited the dungeon cells he held the key aloft to show Erik, which roused a celebratory cheer from the Resistance members. The exultation wasn't entirely merited, though, as Link noticed the still bodies of Hylians, Gorons and Zora that were being covered with sheets. The sight of it seemed to only steel the Resistance on, though, and Link knew he would have to act accordingly.

"Onward, then?" He raised the key in Kindel's direction, who nodded firmly.

"Onward. Let's hope you don't break this key as quickly as you did the last ones, huh?"

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Junk Will Win the War campaign, where your used soda cans and bottlecaps are tempered into weapons of mass destruction! Swords, arrows, spears, tanks - you name it, with a little dash of magic (okay, maybe more than a _little_ ) your trash becomes the Resistance's treasure! Never before was an ashtray so deadly!**

 **What do you think Gangstadorf is getting at with these rooms?**

 **We're so close I can taste it! Until next time!**

 **(P.S. Huzzah, it's my birthday tomorrow!)**


	59. Something Old, Something New

**Happy Friday! Now you don't have to wait on the edge of your seat for a _week_ for Remnants updates... Isn't it wonderful?**

 **Any guesses on what our favorite heroes (and _Hero_ ) will face?**

 **Read on!**

The key, of course, snapped cleanly in Link's hand when he unlocked the massive bolt that held the arena door in place. The rod of rusted iron was nearly as long as Link's forearm, and it clattered to the floor as the rebels shoved for the next room, weapons held at the ready. Link noticed that quite a few stayed behind to tend to the wounded and the dead, and the newest waves of Resistance members came bearing stretchers. His army was significantly smaller as they poured through the doors, clambering down a rocky, mossy slope into darkness.

The door could have opened into another dimension and Link wouldn't have been fazed. They had entered some sort of underground channel, crudely shaped by a gurgling stream that washed over Link's boots as he trekked forward. The water glowed an eerie blue from phosphorescent moss that stretched across the stream's length, filling the cavern with a patchy half-light. A few Resistance members lit torches and flashlights, but the points of light seemed to be swallowed up until they were barely pinpricks.

"Look around for any immediate dangers. Watch for traps, especially around any definite sources of light." Link called to the amassing crowd behind him, which fanned out in response to his orders and started to scour the cavern. Erik shouldered his way forward and gave a roguish grin.

"Who's taking control now, huh? The goddesses made a good choice."

"I'm just trying to make sure everyone stays alive here." Link replied, allowing Erik a thin smile. To Erik it might seem that Link was just some publicity stunt, and Link was just as ready to prove him wrong.

"Down here!" A Zora gestured Link over. "The water gets deep, watch your step. There's something here you might want to see."

Link waded thigh-deep into the brisk current next to a pack of Zora who were treading water above a bulge in the wall. Thick cracks splintered across the rock, revealing ghostly blue light that rippled outward. The bulge had chipped inward to form a small hole Link figured he could fit through – the only problem was, it was twenty feet underwater.

"Won't be a problem." He grinned at the confusion on the Zoras' faces and dove underwater, and in a few swift kicks he was in front of the strange rock. Reaching inside of the small tunnel, he dragged himself through the rock barrier and into the strangest and most wonderful room he had ever seen.

The walls seemed to be made of pearl and light, dancing to and fro across his vision with sparks of gold and crystal. The cavern couldn't be much larger than a small room, but it was lavishly decorated with enough riches to make Zelda herself stare. An enormous clamshell of pale purple unfolded before his eyes in the center of the room, revealing the form of a lithe creature too brilliant for Link to behold. He shielded his eyes from the light and paddled backwards, but a melodic voice rumbled through the cavern, urging him to stop.

"Pause for a moment, Hero. Here you are safe. Here you can rest." The voice called to him, and he relaxed in spite of himself. Something about the room seemed definitely odd, but he slowly raised his eyes to the sunburst that hovered before him.

Vaguely feminine features beamed back at him before blending back into the searing light. "I am but a lowly fairy, Hero, but allow me to perform my part in your quest. You come to this fount with something broken, do you not?"

Link's hand flew to Zelda's pouch, and he rifled around Epona's compressed form and his variety of weapons before pulling out the fragments on the Deku Leaf. It looked even more worse for wear than when he had seen it last – all green had leached out of the leaves, replaced with a shriveled brown.

"Is there any way you can fix it?" He asked, drawing the leaf and and holding it forward for the fairy to take. He feared that the creature's brilliance would burn the remains of the Deku Leaf, but she handled the item with care as she observed it.

"Magic is not easily respun, but I believe I can repair the damage." Link held a hand before his eyes again as golden light bathed the luxurious room, warming the water by a few degrees as it reflected off of the walls. When the light had subsided a whole Deku Leaf hovered in the water before him, glossy and green once again. He had opened his mouth to voice his thanks to the fairy when suddenly she was gone, and the ghostly light faded with her. The walls were bare rock once again, and the cavern was no more grand than any other.

Still puzzling over the events that had just occurred, Link pushed his way out of the bulge and surfaced beside the Zora, whose eyes were practically popping out of their heads. He wondered how long he had been under and exchanged a knowing look with Kindel, who could barely contain his laughter as Link paddled over.

"You should have seen them goggling at that hole the second you left. What happened?" Kindel's jaw dropped when Link pulled out the whole Deku Leaf in response. "Does Gangstadorf have a charitable side?"

Link shrugged, looking back to the now-dull cavern. "Let's just count our blessings while we still have them."

"I'll drink to that." Kindel started to drag Link upstream. "We found this while you were down there."

He led Link out of the deeper water onto the bank of the river, which, Link realized as he walked, was funneled between a rotting structure that leaned against the stone walls as if it were wounded. Memories of the swamp temple came back to Link as the machine stretched over his head – it was a water wheel, probably as ancient as the castle walls were. At the moment a massive collection of rocks were jamming its blades, but the Resistance members were quickly moving the stones aside to free up the gears.

"What do you think? Should we give it a little push?" A mischevious light sprung forward in Kindel's eyes and Link reached into Zelda's pouch, dragging the Gust Bellows out with both hands.

"I have just the thing."

Ushering the Resistance members to the side, Link hoisted the barrel of the Gust Bellows into his arms and wrenched the top open, releasing a torrent of wind that forced him backwards. His heels skidded against the slick stone floor and it was all he could do to keep the stream of wind trained on the water wheel, which ground to life with an earth-shaking moan.

A cheer rose from the crowd as the machine slowly rolled back into stride, and as Link watched a series of torches flickered to life along the walls of the cavern, filling it with an almost homey glow. The cave didn't look nearly as intimidating in the light.

Another rumbling thundered from the end of the cave, and the Zora gestured Link back over. The distant wall had risen from its position on hinges, revealing a foul-smelling tunnel of cement that dove deeper underground into darkness. The tunnel was stuffed full of debris and rock, though, and Link knew the Master Sword wouldn't make much headway against such an obstacle. Wrinkling his nose, Link turned to Kindel, who was already unrolling a scroll with an all-knowing look plastered across his features.

"Ah, yes. This is the sewer main." Kindel smirked at Link over the top of his parchment.

"Funny, I gleaned as much. Where does it go?" Link replied, trying to peer over the scroll and observe its contents himself.

The Korok yanked the paper away from Link's prying eyes, his smirk deepening to a grin. "Impatient, aren't you? From what this map says, between the bloodstains and all, I'd say it jut goes deeper down."

"You're so helpful. Wait, bloodstains?" Before he could pry more information out of Kindel a blast echoed throughout the cave, shaking the ground beneath Link's boots. When he turned back the dust cleared to reveal a perfectly empty passageway, which emanated a vile stench that did nothing to soothe Link's nerves.

"What did you do?" He asked Erik, whose features were lifted in a boyish grin.

"Dynamite." The man waggled a stick of the stuff in Link's direction, raising his eyebrows. "We're not savages."

Rolling his eyes, Link swung under the lip of the pipe and started a slow descent down the length of the tunnel, which was made very difficult by the sharp declining path the pipe took. His eyes squinted into the darkness to make out any sort of enemy that might approach him in the confined space, and he rested his hand on the hilt of the Master Sword just in case.

He missed the trip wire, though, and it snapped beneath his heel as he skidded down a few yards on a slick patch of moss. Link turned to shout back at the Resistance members behind him, but it was too late – a grinding thundered from the roof and rocks started to collapse from the ceiling of the cavern, pounding down into the earth with enough force to rattle Link's teeth. He threw his hands out to the side to stop his descent, feeling Kindel ram into his shoulders, and urged the Resistance members who had managed to slip inside with him back to the mouth of the tunnel. The Pirate's Charm cast a low glow to see by, but Link's heart sank when he saw the wall of rock that blocked the entrance of the tunnel from the cavern.

"Erik!" He shouted, and was rewarded by a tinny-sounding voice from the other side.

"You go on without us! We'll meet up with you once we get this rock cleared – there are some bodies we need to tend to." The grim response sounded far too distant for Link's liking. It would take the Resistance hours to reach the mouth of the tunnel, with or without their pyrotechnics.

"See you on the other side." He called back, then sized up how many Resistance members had made it into the tunnel in time. He only had ten for backup, Kindel included, which weren't exactly promising odds.

Without another word he continued on his descent, but no other trip wires or underhanded trickery appeared. Link was glad when the tunnel finally emptied out into a larger space – the rock walls had started to press down on his shoulders, and he was getting tired of hearing Kindel breathe endlessly in his ear.

The room smelled substantially better than the tunnel, but that was all Link could observe about it. The tunnel, which hadn't been bright in the first place, had opened into complete and utter darkness. Muffled murmurs and protests echoed from the entrance of the tunnel as the rest of the Resistance members poured out into the room, trying to find their way around the darkness.

"Seb? Is that you?"

"Get off my leg before I stick it up your –"

"That's not me, I'm over here!"

"Quiet!" Link hissed, and the room fell into silence. The only sounds that echoed across the walls were the slow dripping of water from the sewer pipe and, if Link strained to hear it, a low hissing that seemed to curl around his ankles. In one swift motion he dragged the Fire Rod out of Zelda's pouch and ignited it, filling the room with an amber blaze.

Shouts of alarm echoed in his ears as the Fire Rod erupted in a column of fire, but something else did as well, filling the air with a choking heat. Link swiveled on his heel and brought the Fire Rod up just in time for a massive rocky fist to smash into its length, steaming and searing a handprint an inch deep into the wood. Link kicked at the thing and was rewarded with a bruised toe – whatever the creature was, it was made of solid rock.

He trained his eyes upward from the Fire Rod and stumbled away from the creature as it lumbered into view. Shards of rock creeped up the monster's arms like shingles, and lava boiled on its shoulders, eyes reddened with malice and molten stone. The creature had a figure that vaguely resembled a bear, with oddly lengthened limbs that looked like they had been chiseled by a blind sculptor. It reared its massive head back, nearly scraping the ceiling of the room, and roared directly into Link's face. Teeth like crooked tombstones snapped mere inches from his outstretched hands, and Link could smell burning hair as a wave of heat rolled over him.

A flash of what he hoped was brilliance came over him as the creature pulled its boulder-like arm back to swing, and he extinguished the Fire Rod with a short breath. Immediately the room plunged back into darkness, earning Link a few cries of alarm from the Resistance members, but the rampaging beast ceased its hostilities as well. A deadly calm fell over the darkness.

"W-what's going on?" A trembling voice called from the corner of the room.

"I think it's activated by the light." Link replied, keeping his voice as low as possible. Reaching a hand out, he grappled around in the dark for a moment before reaching the form of the rock creature. If it felt his touch it didn't respond, remaining perfectly dormant in the darkness.

"Everyone, get ready. I'm going to turn the Fire Rod on." He called back to the Resistance members, and was almost positive he heard a whimper from the crowd.

"You're going to do _what?_ That thing'll use me as a toothpick!"

"Have you got a better idea about how to kill this thing? It's a solid rock right now, and I can't find any weakness. I _won't_ if we hide in the dark like this. Didn't you sign up for this?" He scowled, although he was sure the Resistance bloke couldn't see him.

"I thought I was going to fire a few arrows, not fight archaic beasts thousands of feet underground!" Came the reply, and Link rolled his eyes.

"Look, I've done this sort of thing before. Are all of you armed?" Mumbles of replies came back. "Good. Let's see if we can find a weak spot on this thing, and plan accordingly. We have all the time in the world so long as we're in the dark."

This time Link heard no cries of protest, so he backed up a few steps and ignited the Fire Rod with a twist of his wrist. The beast sprung to life as if no time had passed, lava bubbling over its shoulders and tracing a path down to its massive, stump-like feet. Bricks splintered under its heavy gait as it lumbered forward, fixing its scarlet eyes on one of the Resistance members. It was one of Aveil's Gerudo warriors, and she hoisted her spear higher and lowered herself into a battling stance, compared to Kindel's ducking behind Link's legs. The beast had chosen the wrong soldier to mess with.

Link slowly edged his way around the beast as it started to run towards the pack of Resistance members, covering the short distance in seconds. Across the creature's back was a fissure like on open wound, oozing lava that webbed its way across the thing's body. Rifling through his pouch, Link drew out the Gust Bellows and twisted the knob with all of his might, wondering if the wind would somehow harden the lava and stop the creature in its tracks.

The wind certainly did _not_ stop the creature in its tracks, and it wheeled on Link with a roar that shook him to his boots. He drew the Master Sword and sized up the beast as it drew nearer to him, but the front of the monster was solid rock, with no weakness in sight. Link was cornered.

A roar of challenge burst from the Gerudo and she charged forward, raising her spear in the air and bringing it down in the center of the creature's back, dragging it down the length of its spine. The edge of the spear ripped down the monster's back, tracing a trail of jagged agony. An ear-piercing shriek thundered through the room as the monster reeled backwards, arms pinwheeling as it fell, but it didn't appear to be totally incapacitated. Moreover, the Gerudo girl's spear had melted from the lava, and she stood with a knobbled bit of metal in her hand instead of a weapon.

She had provided Link with a distraction, though, and he would take his opportunities as they came. With a flying leap he catapulted himself from the ground and pulled the Master Sword upward, driving the blade down with as much force as he could muster into the monster's back. As he did so, though, the Fire Rod fell from his grasp and clattered uselessly to the tiles, its flame extinguished.

The body of the monster hardened around Link's blade as he landed, tossed from the creature's shoulders and back to the ground. He swore and gave the thing another kick, reaching for the Fire Rod, which had fallen out of sight in the scuffle.

"Should I get a light on?" Kindel called from the other side of the room, sounding apprehensive.

"Don't risk it!" Link replied.

"I have the Fire Rod over here!" One of the Resistance members shouted. "What should we do?"

Link paced for a moment, nearly careening into the frozen form of the beast. "On my mark, ignite the Fire Rod. I'll take the Master Sword out of its body and try to give it another good stab; that usually finishes them off."

"And if not...?"

"I find that 'Plan B's are best made on the fly." Link flexed his grip on the hilt of the Master Sword, bracing himself against the body of the creature. "Ready? Turn it on!"

A warm red glow filled the room, along with the hair-raising screams of agony as Link's blade sliced cleanly through the beast's core. The Master Sword was no regular weapon, and all of the goddess-tempering had done its work – the blade heated in Link's hand but remained solid as lava churned over its length. He dragged the blade out with some difficulty and was prepared to strike again when the rocky fist of the creature swung into his legs, sweeping his feet out from under him and forcing him against the stone wall. Link spun as the rocks bit through his skin, and he jabbed the Master Sword into the beast's eye in retaliation. It staggered away, nearly deafening Link with its bellowing, and he fell back to the ground to catch his breath.

Kindel stepped up to continue the battling, sending a clever stream of ice about the creature's legs and joints, freezing its limbs and hardening the streams of lava that trickled down its body. The other Resistance members seemed steeled to do their part as well, and soon crossbow bolts and swords battered against the creature's body, some finding their mark in chinks in the rocky armor. _About time,_ Link thought with a frown.

In no time the rebels had forced the creature onto one knee, and Link raised the Master Sword above the beast's exposed neck, where lava roiled over its many wounds. He brought the blade down in a clean blow, pulling it out just in time for the lava to harden into stone, tipping the creature forward and shattering it into fractals of debris.

Link limped over to Kindel, who was holding a golden key in his hand with a superior expression on his face. "Do you want to have the honors?"

The Korok looked genuinely surprised, covering his astonishment with a sardonic smile. "Oh noble Hero, you would bequeath me with such a mighty honor? Woe is me!"

A giggle sounded from the Resistance members behind them and Link shot Kindel a deadly glare. "Just this once."

"You flatter me." Kindel drawled, twisting the key into the next lock and opening the door to their next deadly adventure.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the Preservation of Dangerous Wildlife Association, where we give lava monsters and ice wolves proper treatment and care, along with shelter from vagabond Heroes with something to prove. With a grand total of an 150% casualty rate, volunteers are scarce and donations even scarcer! Be sure to add your name to our mailing list today!**

 **Thoughts about any upcoming foes? :) Until next time!**


	60. Mechanized Automaton Heliom

**It's that jaw-dropping, pulse-pounding, edge-of-your-seat action we've all been waiting for. It's (you guessed it) _Remnants!_ **

**Back for another Tuesday update, and an exciting one at that :)**

 **Read on!**

It took Link a moment to realize he had only nine remaining Resistance members following him – the slumped body of a young man remained in the chamber with the rock creature, his forehead split with a jagged gash.

"Erik will come for him later. It's time to move on." Kindel replied gently, but he couldn't prevent the shocked stares from the Resistance as they passed their fallen comrade. One reached down and swiped the man's weapon, a curved scimitar, and a dented shield that had surely come from the weapons hall of the castle.

"This place keeps getting weirder and weirder." Link muttered to Kindel as he swung open the next door, keeping the Master Sword slack in his hand. "First a huge array of weapons, then sewer mains and fairy fountains and everything in between. What is this place?"

"Whatever it is, it keeps getting older and older." Kindel gestured to the walls. "Have you noticed the architecture changing? It gets simpler and simpler as we go down. Look at these!" He pointed out a sagging doorway that drooped almost lazily over Link's head as they traversed a narrow passageway, trickling water lapping at their feet.

"But the sewer seemed really new. It's like a hodgepodge of awful." Link grumbled, earning a snort of laughter from one of the Resistance men.

"Call it what you will, I'm ready to get out of here." Kindel strolled forward, then ducked to the ground as a spear catapulted through the air, punching through the chest of one of the men behind Link in one blow. Link's shield was in his hand in an instant, and he raised it to block the trajectory of another wooden bolt the size of his leg. The metal tip splintered against the shield, sending a painful jolt up Link's arm and throwing him back into the mouth of the tunnel.

A pained groan sounded from the soldiers behind him as another bolt found its target. Picking himself up from the stone, Link darted forward to assess the danger as it wheeled toward him in the form of another massive crossbow. This one seemed much more complex, though, with a framework of metal gears and small fires spinning in and out of tubes. Steam belched from a pipe near the center as another bolt was loaded and fired, spearing a man who was attempting to pull a wounded Resistance member back to the shelter of the tunnel.

In seconds Link's team of nine had been reduced to six. He whipped out the Fire Rod and it roared to life, bathing the crossbow launcher in flame, and the Bokoblins operating the machine scattered to cover behind a series of pillars. He was pleased to see many sporting small fires that raced across their greasy garments. Turning back to his backup, Link grabbed the shoulders of one of the fallen men and started to drag him back to safety, feeling the shallow rise and fall of the man's chest as he pulled him along.

Apparently the Fire Rod hadn't done much to dissuade the Bokoblins from their post, and a fiery bolt tore across Link's upper arm, drenching his sleeve in molten agony. Swearing profusely, he pulled his man back into the shelter of the tunnel, then raised his shield just in time before another bolt struck the metal. The impact felt like steely knives stabbing into his flesh, but he stood his ground and drew the Master Sword, trying to formulate some sort of plan.

The Bokoblin operators were persistent, Link would give them that, and good with their aiming. He would have to find a way to stay out of range and attack them at the same time, but how could he with the narrow strip of the tunnel comprising all of his operating space?

His eyes drifted upwards to the ceiling of the room the tunnel opened up into, which could have come from a ritzy Hylian chapel – it was elaborately carved in three dimensions, with realistic marble vines dangling from stone leaves and roots. Placing the Fire Rod back into Zelda's pouch, he drew the Hookshot and sprinted for the room, firing for the ceiling as the Bokoblins struggled to zero in on him quickly.

As the crossbow bolt shattered beneath his feet he was tugged into the air, the barbs latching into the stone in seconds. The Bokoblins openly gawked at Link as he hung over them, feet dangling thirty yards over their heads. The crossbow wasn't anything other than a standard siege weapon, though, and it couldn't rotate upwards to peg him, which was what Link had been counting on. He slipped his shield back into the pouch and drew out the Fire Rod, bathing the contraption in white-hot flames that filled the air with rancid smoke.

When the smoke cleared, though, Link was shocked to see that the Bokoblins were unharmed, as was the crossbow. A fiery red glow drifted from their mottled skin and the metal of the crossbow, some sort of magic that was shielding them from damage. _Typical Gangstadorf._ They loaded another bolt before he could blink and sent it through the head of one of the Resistance soldiers, who had emerged from the tunnel expecting the threat to be neutralized. Anger surged in Link's chest as he hovered above the crossbow - it would take more than a good barbecuing to take them down.

Link had only one option left. The Bokoblins had already killed four of his men and were set on sending bolts through the rest of them. He had no choice.

It was hard to undo Zelda's pouch from his belt with one hand, but Link managed and reached around inside of the fabric until his fingers gripped the cool chrome of Epona's chassis. With a resigned sigh he dragged the motorcycle to the brim of the pouch, then held the fabric upside down and let the vehicle tumble out on its own accord. A pang of sadness struck Link's heart as the gleaming metal spun and fell slowly to the ground. He had had many an adventure with Epona – he had met and rescued Zelda with it, and had relied on it through the thick and thin. Even though it was just a motorcycle, Link felt as if he had a sort of connection with the bike.

It broke his heart when it crashed into the crossbow, plummeting into the complicated instruments and smashing the thing flat. A plume of fire and smoke exploded from the collision, and Link shielded his eyes as the searing heat passed over him, a thunderous crash throbbing in his ears as Epona was shredded into a thousand pieces.

The Bokoblins were gone, and now that the crossbow had been neutralized the remaining Resistance soldiers started to limp out of the tunnel, their garments bloody and faces drawn. Link rejoined them on the ground after a bit of maneuvering with the Hookshot to assess the damage. Kindel darted up next to him with a tired expression on his face.

"That looks bad. Let me patch you up." He called up to Link, who waved him off in the direction of the tunnel.

"I'm fine, go look to the other guys." Now that Kindel had drawn his attention to his wounded arm it throbbed like a Wolfos was actively gnawing on it, but that was a matter for later. Kindel stood his ground, though, and Link realized the implication of his actions a moment later.

 _There wasn't anyone left to tend to._

Link's head snapped upright, turning to the bedraggled crew that had survived the attack. "Go back to the tunnel and to Erik. Try to see if you can help their progress with clearing the rubble."

"What about you?" One of the Resistance soldiers asked, his face ashen beneath the blood that stained one of his cheeks.

"I won't have anyone else die on my watch. Kindel and I will go on from here."

The Gerudo girl clutched her spear so hard her knuckles turned white, and Link thought for a moment she would object to his order, but she simply turned on her heel and headed back from where she had come. The two men followed her, sheathing their swords and stepping over the bodies as they walked out. Despondency choked the air as they left, as if all hope had been snuffed from the room.

Link placed a hand against his torn shirtsleeve and it came away gloved with red. Shaking off his fingers, he turned to the other space of the room and observed his next obstacle.

The Bokoblins had only been operating in a small section of the room – it opened in a sweeping passageway like the nave of a chapel. Enormous columns that a Forest Golem could hardly wrap its arms around reached upward to the lofty ceiling, carpeted in gnarled vines. On the opposite side of the nave was a set of doors that put the wooden ones at the front of the castle to shame. Iron twisted and knotted itself like a living creature stretched up the length of the door, forming realistic vines that seemed to twine in an imaginary breeze. Light twinkled from distant torches, surrounded by oil-stained glass that was almost too smoky to let the barest smidgen of candlelight out.

"It was a good choice, sending them back. What do we have here?" Kindel called out, rubbing his hands together almost eagerly.

It would have been an easy stroll down the length of the nave to the distant door, but the floor had been hollowed out and fell into oblivion, with a twin strips of tile about forty yards wide on eitherr side being the only part that had been spared. It was on this space that the Bokoblins had manned their crossbow. Only the columns stood between the cavernous drop, and Link figured his Hookshots would do the job just fine.

"This doesn't seem right. It's too easy." He told Kindel as he pulled the Hookshot gauntlets on, flexing his fingers within the leather supports.

"If I wanted this mission jinxed I would have asked." Kindel scowled. "This is why you're such a lousy Hero."

Link's gaze drifted to the bloodstains on the tiles to his right, the shadow of a boot poking out from the doorstep.

"Too soon." Kindel berated himself. "I didn't mean it, honestly."

"It's fine." Link squared his shoulders towards the columns, raising one Hookshot to a particularly large snarl of vines. Bracing himself for the kickback, he fired the chain and it landed soundly in the middle of the vines, yanking Link mightily after it. His shoulder was nearly torn from its socket as he rocketed after the barbs, slamming into the pillar with enough force to make his head spin.

He turned to Kindel, who was a mere speck of brown against the ground now, and waved. Raising his other arm, he was about to fire the second Hookshot towards the opposite pillar when a earth-shaking quake threatened to shake him from his perch, and a figure burst out of the darkness faster than Link's eyes could follow it.

A massive mechanical form leaped from the swirling darkness beneath Link, unfurling enormous wings and releasing a screech that set Link's hair on end. His eyes strained in the dim light to make out the form of the thing, weak lamplight glancing off of rows of metal feathers that ground against each other and released showers of sparks that lodged and smoked in the vines. An arrow-shaped head bent backwards and released a battle cry, red eyes roving across the darkness as if searching for prey.

An enormous mechanical bird had emerged from the darkness below, with crudely sculped metal pieces forming harsh angles along its body. Massive wings pumped through the air, nearly forcing Link's cap off of his head as the form circled the room. A strange, chain-like tail drifted after the machination, and even the faint light could reveal enough sharp edges to turn Link into a minced pie.

The vulture made an about-face until it hovered near Link, metal-plated chest upright as its wings beat a powerful rhythm in the air. Powerful hindlegs reared up in front of its body, and Link saw six claws gleam at the end of its limbs. Each looked like a dagger, as long as his forearm, and sharpened to a razor-fine point.

Link ducked his head as the vulture's tail snapped over his head, whipping forward and tearing through the vines that clung to the pillar like they were butter. Bits of sharpened iron joined dovetail into each other, forming a chain that swung back and forth beneath the vulture's massive form. A cluster of metal feathers burst from the bottom of the tail, each as sharp as the claws of the vulture and just as deadly.

Link's boots skidded against the pillar's surface and he realized most of the vines the Hookshot had been clinging to had been cut. Releasing the barbs, he swung around and fired for the opposite pillar with the same arm, hanging suspended for one heart-stopping moment before the Hookshot gripped the vines and dragged Link across the chasm to the other pillar.

The vulture appeared to be shocked by this turn of events, spinning around and lunging after Link far too late to inflict any harm. Pops like fireworks snapped after Link as he flew, and he turned his head to the side to see the vulture's tail whip harmlessly above his head. It was far too close for comfort, though, and he swung his way around to the back of the pillar to form some semblance of a plan.

Another clanking shriek sounded from the center of the room, and Link craned his neck around the side of the pillar to see the vulture writhing in pain as whips of orange fire slung across its form. Wherever the flames touched, deep gouges in the metal formed, and the acrid scent of burning iron filled the room. Claws flying, the vulture raised quite a racket freeing itself of the magic bonds and swooping away, making a few laps around the columns. Its form was a blur, parts creaking and grinding as they clattered against each other. Stone crumbled as the vulture's tail lashed to and fro, taking chunks out of the wall as it passed.

 _Think,_ Link growled to himself. He forced his eyes to keep track of the vulture as it flew, searching for any weaknesses. The machine had a strange way of flying, arching its back and pumping its wings furiously. It was the opposite of Scar's graceful flight, and he knew he wouldn't be able to ride the thing to destroy it. Watching the vulture's fumbling way of flying, a question came to Link's mind. How did it stay off of the ground, anyways?

Thoughts clicked into Link's mind like puzzle pieces, every action suddenly falling into place. The ungainly wingbeats as it supported itself in the air... The vulture wasn't flying – something was _helping_ it.

Before he could formulate a plan the vulture leaped up before him, pulling up to a screaming halt and shrieking directly in Link's face. In a flash he raised the opposite Hookshot and fired it in a desperate attempt to escape from the wrath of the creature, and as the barbs lodged into the pillar a screaming pain tore through is arm when he flew towards his destination. He could feel the blood streaming down his sleeve as he slammed to a stop against the pillar, and was frozen for one dizzying moment as he tried to regain his bearings. The world seemed to have flipped upside down and wouldn't stop spinning.

The vulture seemed less surprised by Link's escape this time, and it chased after him, hovering above the pillar like an ungainly helicopter. Link flexed his fingers inside of the Hookshot and released the chain to its full length, rappelling down the pillar as far as the item would allow him. From this vantage point he had a perfect view underneath the chestplate of the vulture, and he caught sight of what looked to be canvas under the metal.

Link could have kicked himself if he weren't suspended over a bottomless abyss. The vulture wasn't some sort of automaton creation – it was _hollow_ , with a balloon inside to keep it aloft! He made eye contact with Kindel and gave him a thumbs-up of understanding. Kindel had been trying to ignite the balloon inside of the vulture's armor with his fire. Suddenly the task of toppling the vulture seemed far more feasible.

The only problem was he was hanging from a Hookshot with one fully operational arm. How would he be able to wield the Fire Rod and sling his way around the pillars at the same time?

The vulture took this opportunity to dive, and Link kicked off from the pillar and swung to the side, narrowly missing its razor-sharp talons. His boots clattered against the vulture's wings as he swung, knocking it off balance and sending the unsteady creature directly into the base of the pillar, stunning it. He had already released a whoop of exhilaration when the stone began to shift, cracks webbing their way up the pillar from the impact of the vulture.

Link shot his second Hookshot point-blank into the pillar as it began to lean, with little jarring impact like a long-distance firing, and pivoted to reach the pillar nearest the end of the nave. While the vulture was still spinning loopy circles beneath him he shot over its head, feet kicking in the air. By bracing his feet he rolled off most of the crash of the landing, and focused on working his way up to the top of the pillar.

It was difficult work to drag himself up with claw machines on his hands, but Link reached the top of the pillar with arm muscles trembling. The vulture still appeared to be disoriented from its collision with the pillar, and even more so when the pillar leaned forward and crashed directly on top of it.

Dust and debris leaped forward in the air, exploding in a cloud of gray and green that cloaked the entire room. Link took in a breath and his mouth was coated with stone, blinded by the fog-like dust. He turned his face to the pillar as fragments of stone reflected off of the Hero's clothes, but any revealed skin was mercilessly peppered with sharpened debris. When the deafening crash reduced to the faint crumbling of stone, Link slowly turned around to observe the wreckage.

He and the rest of the room appeared to have been blasted by plaster. The green of the Hero's clothes was masked by gray, and he had enough stone coating his body to make a legion of statues. His hair crackled when he reached up to touch it, cemented in place. Surely a blast of that proportion had taken the vulture down for good... Right?

 _Wrong,_ the goddesses seemed to cackle at him, as the vulture's form slowly rose from the dust, one of its wings horribly dislocated and its metal armor in shambles. The beak had been forced around to the back of its head, split cleanly in two and revealing a set of spinning gears inside. One of its red eyes had been bashed in, tinkling glass falling out of the hole it had previously occupied, and its wing beat sporadically in jerky motions.

The impact had done one favor for Link, though – the vulture's chestplate had peeled back to reveal a clear shot at the balloon within. As the vulture wheeled on Link he knew he would have one shot at taking the machine down. The fatigue of the battle was pressing down on him already, and it would only be a matter of time before his luck ran out.

Gingerly Link shook off the second Hookshot and took out the Fire Rod from Zelda's pouch, resting its end in the crook of his elbow. The vulture wheeled closer, dipping and swaying like a drunken man as it tried to keep a straight course towards Link. Even though it was horribly mangled, the vulture's claws were still deadly, and Link focused the Fire Rod with all the precision he could muster. Throwing up a few prayers to any of the goddesses who would listen, he readied the Fire Rod and set it on full blast.

A fiery supernova engulfed the vulture as soon as the white-hot flames raced across its body. Bits of metal blasted out from its side as the gas inside of the balloon exploded, and its eyes flared white before the bulbs shattered. The vulture's wings flapped wildly as it spun in a crazy course, gravity gripping it in its steely talons and yanking the machine from the sky. Heat seared at Link's face as the flames receded, leaving a black trail of smoke as the vulture plummeted into the cavern and out of sight.

Link made his way to the other side of the nave as quickly as possible, feeling the solid tile beneath his boots with a sigh of relief. He sat down as he waited for Kindel to catch up, lying back on the cool stone and looking up to the flickering lamplight above him. It was all too nice to rest for once, and he closed his eyes for a brief moment to enjoy it.

"Evil never sleeps and neither do you." Kindel's feet touched the tile with a faint _click_ and Link rolled over on his side, trying to avoid the Korok.

"Can't we take a break just for once?" He groaned, shielding his head as he waited for Kindel to start kicking him. Instead a slow burning spread over his arm, there one moment and gone the next. Link sat up and flexed the muscle, watching the skin knit itself back together and the wound close. A dull throbbing still pulsed near the bone, but nearly all of the pain was gone.

"I did what I could. Guess I was too late for the rest of them, huh?" Kindel replied almost angrily, and Link realized that the deaths of the Resistance members had to be hard on the Korok, too. How could he be so stupid?

"I'm sorry, Kindel, I didn't think. And thanks." He gave Kindel a smile, which was returned rather weakly.

"Don't think about it, Hero. Now what are we going to do about these doors? They're just begging to be opened. Can I have the honors for this one?"

Link tilted his head to the side, observing the scene while a smile spread across his face. "Kindel... Can you even reach the handle?"

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the WELL NOW LINK NEEDS A NEW MOTORCYCLE Association. It's actually an acronym for Wellwishing Educational Leadership of Lucrative... You know what? Forget it.**

 **We've officially hit chapter sixty! Any foreshadowing for upcoming battles? Any ideas, thoughts, or rants?**

 **Until next time!**


	61. The Death Drive

**You already know what it is!**

 **Friday. It's Friday. And thus another chapter of Remnants! (Who else is so glad it's finally the weekend?)**

 **Read on!**

As it turned out, Kindel could not reach the handle, and left Link to the task of opening the gigantic doors. He reached out and grasped the right handle, and the metal reacted to his touch, curling around his wrist and coming to life across the surface of the iron. Leaves rustled in the breeze, and vines tightened their grip on one another. The metal had come eerily to life, and Link had to tear his eyes away from the hypnotizing spectacle to pull the doors outward.

Despite their massive size, the doors weighed no more than the ordinary, and they hung open for Link to walk through once he had swung them wide. The iron leaves danced above his head as he walked under the arched doorjamb, and Kindel was giving the moving metal the evil eye as he walked through. The second the Korok's tiny foot had passed over the threshold, though, the doors slammed shut with a deafening crash.

Link jumped about a foot in the air and spun around, the Master Sword already in his hands, but when he turned a strange sight stood before him. The massive iron doors had been replaced with an arched doorway of stone, significantly smaller than its predecessor. He gave the door a nudge with the Master Sword, half expecting the stone to come alive and attack him, but nothing happened.

"This is mega-weird. Are we stoned?" Kindel asked, giving the door a similar prodding with his foot.

"I think we've got bigger problems. Is this what Zelda meant about the alternate world?" Link turned again and faced the room, which was a good deal brighter than the nave. After his eyes had adjusted to the light he wondered for a moment if he had died and gone to some sort of purgatory – the room was the strangest he had seen yet, with no definable walls and mist as far as the eye could see. Murky ankle-deep water covered the entirety of the space except from three small islands: one before the door he had just entered, the other before the opposite door, and one in the exact center of the room with a single, leafless tree growing in the center. The sparseness of the space only added to Link's unease, and he took a step forward into the water.

Looking down, he saw his form perfectly reflected in the misty water, staring back at him with a somber expression.

"Are we dead?" Kindel asked, peering back towards the door. As Link stepped closer to the center of the room he realized that the space extended past the door, which stood unsupported in the middle of the mist.

"What _is_ this place?" He wondered for what felt like the millionth time, wandering over to the tree. Damp earth crunched beneath his boots as he walked onto the shallow island.

"Okay, let's think this through," Kindel called from the door. "In every room Gangstadorf has thrown some sort of monster at us. Assuming he's a creature of habit, there should be some hell-beast lurking in the mist over there."

"Isn't there some rule about never assuming anything?" Link called back.

"Are you assuming there's a rule about never assuming anything?" Kindel replied wryly, steeling himself and walking over to Link. Link's eyes fell to the water below Kindel – the Korok's reflection was more of a murky shadow, whereas his had been as clear as day. Nothing to be alarmed about, but it was a strange phenomenon.

Kindel stared at the tree behind Link for exactly two seconds before giving it a swift kick. Catching sight of Link's shocked expression, he held up his hands and shrugged. "You'd be surprised how often that works."

Link was about to respond when a bone-chilling wind swept through the space, as frigid as ice, and the tree practically bent over with the force of it. It felt as it something was trying to forcibly tear his skin off, and Link spun the Master Sword between his palms in preparation for some sort of attack. But the attack never came. Kindel looked just as startled by this turn of events, and Link ventured forward across the water to investigate.

"See anything?" He called over his shoulder to Kindel, walking over to the opposite door.

"Um... Link?" Kindel yelped in response.

"What?"

"Not you, the other one!" Kindel hollered, and Link raised the Master Sword above his head a split second before a blade would have sliced into his skull. Shoving his attacker's arms away, he spun low on his heel to face his new foe, jaw dropping when he saw who it was.

It was _him,_ and yet it wasn't. The form of Link crouched mere yards away, its stance a perfect mirror of his own. Not-Link's clothes seemed to be woven of shadow, shades of black shifting and merging with each other to create an illusion-like look, as if the being wasn't there at all. Every part of its body was midnight-dark, except for its eyes, which burned scarlet like hot coals.

Looking into those eyes Link could see the fire, smoke choking his throat and clogging his nostrils. He could feel the flickering flames against his skin, searing into his flesh, and screams rang in his ears. Stumbling away from the dark form, he raised the Master Sword, only to see that his hands were shaking almost too badly to hold the weapon.

The form of his duplicate was ever-so-slightly _wrong._ Its limbs were slightly too long, fingers curling like claws around the pitch-black Master Sword. Its cheekbones were just a bit too high, giving it an alien look, eyes just a bit too large until its gaping holes for eyes ground into Link's with its fiery stare. And when it mirrored Link's shocked expression, its teeth were just long enough to give the resemblance of fangs.

Not-Link moved with uncanny grace, its motions more like water than a person. When he raised the Master Sword with trembling arms, his shadow did the same with the air of a practiced swordsman, heady confidence and anger radiating off of the being in waves. Link felt like he was being smothered with the stuff, as the distinct smell of smoke lingered in the air – just the sight of the thing made him want to turn tail and run.

An all-too-familiar feeling clenched Link's gut and squeezed with all of its might. He was _afraid._

This wasn't stage fright, the worry before a speech, or going up against those Bokoblins. He had been worried then, and concerned for his comrades' safety. But now, standing before himself, his knees were weak and he couldn't catch a breath. The world seemed to be slipping out of his grip, replaced with the icy fear that curdled in his stomach and brought a sickening taste to his mouth. His fingers numbed and the Master Sword almost clattered to the floor.

A distant conversation with Zelda surfaced in his mind during the standoff – _phantom forms, attacking your worst fears._ Was this his phantom form? Gangstadorf was going to make him fight _himself_?

The task seemed impossible as the shadow leered over Link, its too-long limbs looming above him. This was one battle he couldn't win, one force that had ruled his quest from day one. He had always tried to suppress his fear, from the first confrontation with Gangstadorf to the final silent realm. He was a fool to believe he had actually changed, as if those brief excursions in the spirit realm had actually done anything to change him. How could he be so foolish?

He was just a kid from Castle Town with a sword and a death wish, given a suicide quest and told to perform a miracle.

 _No,_ a thought bloomed at the center of his mind. _These thoughts aren't your own. Show him what you're made of._

Closing his eyes, Link took in a deep breath and struck with the Master Sword. It was a lightning-fast lunge, but time itself seemed to bend around Not-Link as it blocked the attack with a shield that seemed to materialize from nowhere. A thin smile crossed Link's face – _two can play at that game –_ and he drew his own shield just in time to block a jab from the shadowy Master Sword.

A blast of green fire forced Not-Link to stumble to the side, and Link turned to see Kindel urging him on. "Go! I've got your back!"

As much as he appreciated Kindel's support, Link knew this battle was his to win alone. It was time that he finally tackled these demons, and this was the perfect opportunity to do it. But looking in the smoking eyes of his mirror, he couldn't help but wonder if some battles weren't meant to be won.

Forcing these thoughts aside, Link feinted forward with the Master Sword, then dropped his shoulder and jabbed with his shield. Metal clattered against metal as Not-Link performed the exact same motion, sliding Link's harmless sword attack away and meeting his shield thrust with equal force. Surprised by the retaliation, Link stumbled backwards, and his shadow lowered himself into a ready stance again. His double was unperturbed by the turn of events, ready for the next exchange of blows.

Frustration simmered in Link's chest as he lunged again, but Not-Link did the same and both deflected the blow with their shields. When Link stabbed, so did his double, their blades meeting at exactly the same point and reflecting off of each other. It was like fighting a mirror, with neither one able to score a blow.

His shadow didn't seem to take any express position on killing Link, though. There were many times when Link found himself overextended or far too open to allow a blow, but Not-Link took this time to hold back and prepare for Link's next attack. Link wasn't sure if this was some sort of twisted strategy of his doppelganger, trying to wear Link out so that he would be at a disadvantage, but it was getting old very fast.

On top of all of this was the crushing effect of his shadow's burning stare. He had always been taught to look his opponent in the eyes, whether for respect in the ring or to try to glean their next moves. In this battle, though, every time he made eye contact with his shadow the screaming began again, and he could almost feel the fire racing across his skin.

At last his impatience became too great, and he threw his weight forward in a thrust that tipped him far off-balance, jabbing the Master Sword directly into the shadow's chest. Or rather, where the shadow had stood a full second beforehand – it had moved almost too quickly to follow, then crouched its overlarge limbs and leaped upwards, balancing lightly on the Master Sword's blade.

Link's body was practically laid bare before Not-Link, who could stab his blade down into any body part of his choosing, but Link's shadow seemed satisfied to silently gloat for a moment before backflipping off of the sword and back onto the ground. Link could swear he saw its lips twitch up into a smirk, burning eyes narrowing as it sized Link up again. Its stance visibly relaxed, and the shadow's thoughts wouldn't be more obvious if he had written them in block lettering on a billboard.

 _Pathetic._

Link could only stand there, breathing hard and trying desperately to get his bearings again. It was just as he feared: he was a plaything against Gangstadorf, who had creatures like this at his disposal and could deploy them with ease. He had come to slay the dragon and had been trounced by the castle's moat. The stench of defeat mingled with charred wood and his sword arm drooped, the tip of the Master Sword casting ripples in the water.

Every muscle and nerve was begging him to set the sword down, to kneel and accept defeat. It would be easier that way; so many fewer lives would be lost if he merely gave in. The bloody trail behind him would come to an end, and he could rest assured that no one else would have to die on his behalf. Wouldn't that be liberating?

Zelda's voice was like a clear bell in the center of his mind, which was a haze of exhaustion and despair and a thousand emotions finally let loose. _There's a reason the shadow looks just like you, acts just like you do. It_ is _you, embrace that. It's manipulation your emotions, it knows your worst fears. Alternate world, alternate Link. This battle is only as hard as_ you _make it, so make it on your terms!_

Releasing a slow breath, Link raised his head and pulled the Master Sword upright. He locked eyes with Not-Link, ignoring the forces that assailed his senses, and lowered himself into a fighting stance. The world narrowed to the two of them, two shields and two swords, two lives beating as one.

Yes, he was afraid. He feared his quest was in vain, his role insubstantial, that he was a mere nuisance in Gangstadorf's eyes and nothing more. There was only one way to overcome those doubts, though, and that was to find out if they were true. He would fight to his dying breath if he had to in order to prove them wrong.

And that was what he planned to do.

Drawing the Master Sword back, Link spun the blade forward in an arc with all of his might, sending a shower of sparks from Not-Link's shield when the sword made contact. He was already recovering from the swing and dug the tip of his blade past the shadow's defenses, forcing the metal into Not-Link's side. The inky form of the shadow flared red and it dropped from sight, through the floor and into nothingness.

Link soon caught sight of it emerging from the other side of the room, and he ran as fast as he dared across the slick floor of the space and battered away the form of the black Master Sword. He struck and the shadow mirrored his previous motion, and he raised his shield only to deliver a swift kick to his doppelganger's kneecap.

The shadow dropped to a knee and Link slammed the hilt of the Master Sword into its skull with enough force to send a jarring vibration up the blade. Not-Link dissipated again, re-forming mere feet behind Link and charging just as Link had before, starting with the shield and then attacking with its sword. The force behind both of the attacks were ferocious, and Link winced as the shield glanced off of his shoulder.

Link retaliated with two overhead strikes with his sword, both of which were deflected easily, and jumped back as the shadow attempted to hit him with another knee kick like he had performed before. Unable to keep a faint grin from his face, Link aligned the Master Sword with his shield and stabbed both forward in a double-handed blow. Not-Link was hardly able to deflect the blade and fell backwards when Link's shield punched into its chest. Link delivered a brutal kick to the face, and the shadow fell through the floor and reformed almost immediately.

The fire of the battle was rushing through Link's veins, even though his shoulder stung fiercely and his wounded arm was beginning to throb again. Confidence was beginning to return to him as the battle progressed, and he met the blade of Not-Link at the hilt, forcing his arm forward to push the blade back and attack with his shield.

He underestimated his shadow's – or rather, _his –_ strength, and realized a moment too late that he had left himself completely exposed with this daring maneuver. He swung his shield around to protect his left side from the dancing blade of Not-Link, but the black Master Sword had already inflicted its damage.

Sparks danced across Link's eyesight as the blade sunk into his thigh, a clean gash that scraped the bone. The world seemed to float in a haze for a moment and he was suddenly on the ground, palms split and bleeding as he pulled himself upwards from the water and dragged his shield up in a desperate attempt to protect himself. Blood oozed down his torn pant leg and bile burned at his throat. The pain was immense, but it served to only clear his head as he observed Not-Link lingering above him. It was hard to make out from the shadow's shifting features, but it was holding itself gingerly, like a house of cards one breath away from toppling. He knew he could take it down.

When he attempted to stand, though, a fireworks show erupted down his side and in his skull, and he sank back down to the chill of the water. He could hear the arc of the Master Sword as it lanced through the air, an obvious taunt from someone who knew they had a battle already won. Leaning heavily on his right leg, Link pushed himself up to his knees, arms trembling and sweat beading on his brow. He met the eyes of the shadow with pride, raising a shaking arm in one final stand.

Before he could strike, though, a sunburst exploded on the side of the shadow's head, and it stumbled away in shock. Kindel ran to Link's side, a wide grin stretching across his face as he summoned another sphere of fire in his palm.

"Giving up so soon?"

"What was all that about 'I have your back'?" Link growled in response, although he couldn't stay angry at Kindel for long. Maybe it was from pain-induced delirium, but he felt a smile widening across his face, too.

"Let's take this ugly mug down for good. Oh, did I say ugly?" Kindel feigned shock, placing a hand to his forehead and rolling up his eyes. The effect was rather dramatic with a crackling ball of magic mere inches from his unprotected head.

"Stow it, will you? I'm bleeding out here!" Link called back. It was probably true, but in the moment he didn't care. Somehow Kindel's taunting had shed the suffocating feelings of doubt and fear that were emanating from Not-Link, and the feeling was like a breath of fresh air.

Kindel did something Link's hadn't seen him do in a long time – he _laughed_. It was a genuine, throaty sort of cackle that brought tears to the Korok's eyes, and he doubled over with laughter. Clapping his tiny hands together, Kindel looked up at Link and shook his head, trying in vain to catch his breath.

"What is the world going to do with you when this war's over, Hero? All of those bad jokes have to go to a good cause, you know."

"I'll make sure you have to suffer through every single one of them." Link fired back.

"That's right, 'cause I'm with you till the end of the line, He-" Kindel replied, then was cut off by a sharp intake of breath. His hands reached down to the length of a black sword protruding from the chest of his tiny frame, the life draining from his eyes as Link knelt and watched.

Kindel turned to Link, mouth forming a small 'o' of surprise, then fell lifeless to the ground as the shadow withdrew its blade from the Korok's chest.

 **A rupee for your thoughts?**


	62. Showdown

**The time you have been waiting for for sixty-two chapters has finally arrived.**

 **The battle of the century - let's be generous and call it the millennium - has come at last. It's our Hero versus the Lord of the Gerudo, where bids are high and the stakes are higher. Every moment has built up to this one!**

 **Well, what are you waiting around here for? Read on!**

The Triforce of Courage burned forward on Link's gloved hand, a brilliant light burning into Link's eyes and forcing his shadow to shrink away. Heat seared at Link's skin as his glove began to smoke. The power of the Triforce coursed through his veins, sharpening every sense to a razor's edge and forming a blanket of cool reason over Link's mind.

The feeling was a drug, intoxicating in its freedom. Link's eyes fell not on the body of his friend but on Not-Link, analyzing every flaw. He was a blueprint left for Link to pick apart, chipping into every weakness until it shattered.

The world was narrowed until it was nothing – Link was blinded by the light, the piercing strikes as he drove the Master Sword forward. His motions were fluid, a tidal wave of destruction that bore closer to the shadow's heart like a drill. Metal clashed against metal. Sparks sizzled on Link's forearms, but he didn't care to brush them away. He was focused on his target, every fraction of energy in his body focused on ending the shadow's life.

For all of the trouble that Not-Link had given him, the ending was rather anticlimactic. Time drifted with Link's current, the energy that pulsed out of him in sharp, stabbing shards. He could hear it cracking in his ears, over the sound of anguished screams, but he wasn't sure which version of himself was uttering them. The pain was gone, the loss was gone. Only the searing gold remained.

The motion was almost effortless, batting away the shadow's blade and forcing his own through its abdomen. The Master Sword entered and exited its body cleanly, and Link shoved the hilt of the sword into Not-Link's nose before the body toppled to the ground. Already it was dissolving into shadow, the edges of its dark body blurring and fading away. In mere seconds the threat had been eliminated.

Through the haze of the Triforce Link remembered Kindel, and the ethereal calm shattered. He dropped the Master Sword and sprinted to Kindel's fallen form, cradling the body of his comrade in his arms. As soon as he met Kindel's lifeless eyes he knew he was too late – they stared back emptily at him, devoid of any life. Screams and sobs clawed at Link's throat, but he pushed them down. He would remain strong for Kindel.

He couldn't keep back a single tear, though, as knelt in the water, rocking back and forth on his heels. Shock and terror had struck his system like a thunderbolt, overcoming even the power of the Triforce. Denial pulsed in his mind, reminding him that this couldn't be happening, this _could not_ be happening. Link was chosen by the goddesses, he was the Hero.

And he couldn't even save Kindel.

What kind of Hero was he then?

Looking up from the body in his arms, Link noticed the form of the fairy hovering on the misty outskirts of the room. Its features were sympathetic, keeping a respectful distance as he mourned.

"Please," Link called out to it. His voice croaked, a raspy and raw sound as lifeless as the body he clutched. "One last request. Would you take his body to the Forest Village? He wanted that." He dropped his head again to look into Kindel's eyes, guilt and pain and a thousand different emotions tearing at him. He wanted to scream, a knife twisting in his gut that was white-hot with shame. With _failure._

The fairy responded with a lone gust of wind that gently lifted Kindel from his arms, carrying the Korok through the air in a graceful yet macabre sort of dance before he landed gently in the spirit's arms. It gave Link a subtle nod and the barest trace of a warm smile before fading away into a pinprick of blue light, taking Kindel with it as it went.

Link's hands plunged into the water, forcing himself onto his feet. The brief moment in unison with the Triforce had already begun to fade, and it was all he could do to hobble over to the Master Sword as all the suppressed agony and anger came rushing back. As he bent down to collect the sword he noticed an elaborately ornate key where the shadow had fallen. The metal twisted and bloomed around the form of the key's indentations. The entire structure was easily as large as Link's forearm.

He hefted the key from its place on the floor, noticing the rust that had spread across its glossy features like a strange sort of blight. The opposite door sported a keyhole that appeared to be much too small for the massive key in Link's hands, but the labyrinth that Gangstadorf had created had shattered any of Link's expectations for rationality. Using the Master Sword as a sort of pseudo-crutch, Link walked over to the door and brought the key forward towards the keyhole.

Immediately the metal began to bend and compress, coils of wire stretching across the ornamental decoration and folding it back into its place. Link stared as the key locked itself into smaller and smaller positions, with parts flipping backward over each other and snapping cleanly against each other. A much smaller key sat in his palm mere seconds later, which Link hastily shoved into the lock and twisted to hear a resounding _click_ inside.

The scene shocked him at first as he passed under the stone archway, mechanisms in the lock still clicking after him as he passed through. The door that he exited, though, was made of sleek wood. When he glanced back a small rectangle had replaced the arched exit.

Link had entered a modern office. It was spartan in its design, everything aligned to perfection in varying shades of chrome gray. A single plant stood in the corner, with waxy leaves that hinted at plastic and flowers that were a shade of red too bright to be natural. A slab-like desk stood before Link, a simple computer monitor and a variety of marbled, expensive-looking pens standing on its surface.

Looking to the side, Link noticed some abstract art on the left wall and a sweeping view of Castle Town to his right. The entire wall was made of windows, set at a dizzying height. Link looked down and saw swarms of people rushing about at the base of the building, lights flashing like strobes across the crowd.

There could be no mistake: he was at the top of the Castle Skyscraper. He had made it.

A thousand questions crowded his mind as he pressed his hands against the cool glass, staring down at the Resistance below. He had traveled underground almost exclusively during the trek through the strange rooms. How had he suddenly appeared at the top of the Skyscraper? This was magic far beyond his or Kindel's understanding...

When he looked down at the crowd, though, he realized that the figures below weren't treating the wounded or ferrying weapons. The flash of metal and twang of a thousand bowstrings spoke volumes. They were _fighting._ Only when Link observed the scene more closely did he notice the ranks of Bokoblins funneling into the streets. Anger bloomed in his chest as he watched – Gangstadorf was attacking the Resistance from two fronts.

"Marvelous, isn't it?"

A low voice seemed to growl from behind Link, but he refused to turn, instead standing firmly before the window. His eyes followed the ranks of the two sides as they clashed, the Bokoblins starting to fold beneath the Resistance's advance. A few Loftwings wheeled above the battle, hurling plumes of fire down on the hulking forms of Moblins.

"Not the view, although it is lovely. I was talking about my tactical genius." A rasping chuckle of laughter sounded, and Link's brow furrowed. Maybe it was because he had only confronted Gangstadorf in phantom form, but the Gerudo sounded different in person.

Oh, Nayru. Here he was in a room with the tyrant himself, completely open to attack. Turning on his heel, he wheeled around and saw Gangstadorf standing behind his desk with his own back turned.

Despite himself, Link took in a steadying breath. Gangstadorf looked like one would expect: a pressed suit to match the dulled grays of the office, with creases that could cut through concrete. He had a well-built form, slightly hunched at the shoulders but far broader than Link. The Gerudo's height was especially impressive, towering over the furniture of his office like they were playthings. And here Link was, bleeding on his inch-thick carpet.

He drew the Master Sword, the rasp of the metal especially grating in the silence, and Gangstadorf waved his hand almost dismissively. "Not here, child. This isn't very suitable for a final battle, is it? A simple office building, everything so fragile. Never was matter so _human."_ In one motion Gangstadorf turned and grabbed the corner of his desk, flipping it upward in a shower of paper and sparks as wires popped one by one. The desk crashed into the wall, but as it flew through the air Link noticed its motions were jerky and flickering, almost like freeze-frames. When he looked back to the Gerudo the desk was in the same place it had been before Gangstadorf had thrown it, as if nothing had happened at all.

Link's mouth fell open before he could stop it, and Gangstadorf waved his hand again. "No, this won't do at all. Come, Hero. If you want the armageddon, you're going to have to fight for it."

Just when things couldn't get any stranger, things got stranger. Gangstadorf's office started to peel away at the corners, almost like the walls were melting away. The view of Castle Town dribbled to the ground, fizzling away as the world re-formed quickly. When he looked up again his surroundings had changed entirely, and Gangstadorf with them.

He stood on ancient stone, bricks weaving together in tiled patterns that had seen better days. Stained glass windows stretched far above his head, filtering amber light through their sections in a kaleidoscope of muted color. Pillars thrust in ungainly ways from the uneven floor, grandeur hastily tacked onto them in the form of ornate carvings that gave the stone a warped quality.

In the center of the room, where Gangstadorf stood, was a raised circular altar. A few short steps ascended a short sort of pedestal, the symbol of the Triforce carved deeply into the stone. A single ray of golden sunlight fell onto the altar, spreading across the Gerudo's broad shoulders. He still kept his back to Link, who was getting tired of the intimidation shenanigans. The least Gangastadorf could do was show Link his face before he killed him.

"This used to be the Temple of Time. That's where they kept it, the golden power, so that the silly mortals couldn't keep messing things up over and over again. Somehow the mortals found ways to be royal pains without their ticket to the spirit realm." Gangstadorf tapped a heavy boot against the altar, and Link noticed his getup had changed considerably. A cape hung from his shoulders, crimson bordering on inky wine, tied on with gold epaulets. Armor sheathed his arms and legs, from what Link could see, and a massive sword scabbard was slung across his back. It appeared that both phantom and corporeal Gangstadorf preferred the same weapon.

"But even the goddesses can't help you here. In fact, no one can help you here, which is why I chose this place. I see your little friend is gone. Terrible shame, he seemed like a funny guy. I can appreciate a good sense of humor." Gangstadorf brought one hand upward, and Link was fully prepared for a magical attack of some sort. Instead, the Gerudo began to pick his nails.

"Hylians are such social creatures. Always leaning on one each other, _teamwork_ and that sort of thing. Disgusting." Gangstadorf's tone sneered at Link, and he tightened his grip on the Master Sword. The Triforce started to pulse to life on his hand, but the calm that rested over his mind was fully his own.

 _I've come this far. Yes, I've had help. Yes, I've leaned on many. But now is my turn to pay off those debts. His words are his weapon, not that sword on his back, and I know how to use them as well._

"So now you're here, kid. What are you going to do? Stick your sword in my back? If you could even reach high enough, that is. How about mid-thigh and we'll call it even?"

"You've got issues, dude. What's with this place, anyways? I asked for the Castle Skyscraper and you gave me a time machine."

Gangstadorf laughed, a sharp bark that took Link by surprise. "They were tests, if you can wrap your pudding-filled head around it. Your spate with the lava monster showed me you can operate in the darkness, it still rests inside of you. The goddesses can't scrub all of it out of you, no matter how many times they drop you in this spirit realm. Your leadership skills took quite the hit with the crossbow attack. Frankly, I didn't think you'd make it past the columns part. I've slapped these gauntlets together from across space and time, and they're rather informative."

Link swung the Master Sword from side to side, finding his footing on the uneven tiles. "If I wanted psychoanalysis I would have called in a shrink, wise guy. What are you waiting for?"

The Gerudo stubbornly refused to face Link, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Before we begin, I have to ask you this. You're wounded, you're alone. The fate of the world rests on your small shoulders. The goddesses have thrown their lousy blessings at you, like that means anything. You have infinite doubts and everything to lose if I stick this blade through your ribs. What's the harm in throwing in the towel?"

The jab wouldn't have stung so much if the Gerudo had meant it. A mocking, sardonic tone colored his voice, and Link refused to be toyed with.

"Look me in the eyes and ask me again." He growled, raising the Master Sword into position.

Gangstadorf wheeled suddenly, his cape billowing behind him and a sneer cracking across his face. Link couldn't keep from shrinking back when he saw the Gerudo's visage – scars dug deep furrows into his tanned skin, which was patchy and darkened like it had been charbroiled. One eye was narrowed and black as midnight, the other a ghostly, milky white. Burns warped his skin and peeled away at the edges, blood tracing a line down his angular chin. His shoulders were hunched with pain, and when Link looked at his limbs he saw scars from fire and open, oozing wounds.

"What comes into the silent realm also goes out, as you can see. That Fire Rod of yours packs _quite the punch._ " Each word was spat out like a bullet, spittle forming at the Gerudo's lips. "I used to think you were a plaything, a joke. Be prepared to counter the fullness of my wrath!" He roared, voice tearing free from his throat and filling the emptiness of the temple. The massive blade strapped to his back spun into the Gerudo's hands, a blade as black as Gangstadorf's steely eyes. What worried Link, though, was the golden light that shone forward on the Gerudo's left hand.

Gangstadorf had the Triforce as well.

Link's mind ran a thousand miles an hour, trying to comprehend the turn of events. He had crippled Gangstadorf, who had always been his superior in combat. Even with this new handicap, Gangstadorf still had the Triforce. How could Link possibly compete with the power of the goddesses, when Gangstadorf was so powerful already?

The Gerudo didn't give Link the option to form a plan, though, as he leaped from the altar and swung his sword in a powerful overhead stroke that rocked Link to his core when he blocked it. As Gangstadorf reeled away from the attack Link fished his shield from Zelda's pouch, strapping it to his arm as his opponent came around for a second attack. Even though he presumably was channeling the Triforce, Gangstadorf's strokes were sloppy and his stance off-balance. Link could use that to his advantage.

Feinting right, Link dodged a quick jab from Gangstadorf and slammed his shield against the Gerudo. He expected to hit flesh and was surprised when the black scimitar leaped up to block his attack as if it had a mind of its own. A shove from Gangstadorf forced Link back, but he dove down and stabbed the Master Sword in the direction of the Gerudo's feet, which had shuffled out of the way a second earlier. The sword clattered against the tile harmlessly.

Link dragged his shield around to block a series of lightning-quick blows from Gangstadorf, who was attacking with the full length of his sword. The scimitar's hilt punched into Link's gut, but he hardly felt the blow and retaliated with a quick stab to the shoulder that brought forward a trickle of crimson blood down Gangstadorf's robes. The Gerudo snarled, revealing too-white teeth that seemed to tilt menacingly into points. With a wave of his hand he summoned a ball of flame, hurling it with all the skill of a professional pitcher in the general direction of Link's head.

A wave of searing heat passed over Link as he ducked to the ground, flattening his body against the uneven tiles as the fire spiraled above his head and fizzled out against the opposite wall. As soon as he looked up another raging supernova was headed towards him, and he managed to roll out of the way before the flames char-broiled him.

Link was on his feet in seconds, his sudden rise startling Gangstadorf enough to offset his balance. The Master Sword struck soundly against the embroidered robes, but the padding and armor were enough to divert Link's strikes from any real harm. The thrill of contact was enough to lift Link's spirits, though, and he kept up a steady stream of attacks until Gangstadorf shoved him away with one broad stroke of his sword.

The heady rush of confidence began to fade when Link met the Gerudo's eyes. Dark madness sparkled in their churning depths, and tongues of golden flame seemed to dance across the irises. The symbol of the Triforce was glowing steadily brighter on Gangstadorf's hand, manifesting itself in his surer footing and broad stance. Any damage Link had inflicted on him seemed to disappear in mere moments, the pain vanishing with the power of the golden force and refreshing Gangstadorf. Frustration simmering beneath his skin, Link held the Master Sword forward in preparation for the next attack.

Gangstadorf charged like a bull, lips peeling back to reveal those sharpened canines, and Link was thrown from his feet when the massive black sword struck his own blade with the force of a tank. It was like a truck had run into him at full speed, and he was sent cartwheeling to the side before he landed roughly on the tile. He rolled to the side dazedly, narrowly missing Gangstadorf's sword plunging into the stone where his head had lain seconds ago, and could feel the rush of air as the blade sunk into the tile.

Lashing out with his boots, Link kicked at the back of Gangstadorf's knee. A pressure point activated in the Gerudo's leg, a trick Link had learned long ago in the ring, and he fell to his knees with a curse. Not wanting to press his luck any more, Link danced out of the way of a series of small floating flames cast by Gangstadorf and lowered himself into his stance, the motion natural and smooth. He regained his rhythm as Gangstadorf leaped to his feet, seeming unfazed by the attack.

"I'll give you this, kid – you're not all that bad. Of course, I'll never know how much the goddesses are helping you along." He stabbed a finger towards the Triforce glowing beneath Link's glove.

"Divine intervention is a two-way street." Link mimed the gesture back at him, and couldn't help but notice the points of sweat on the Gerudo's brow when he reared his head back with laughter.

"I would say that I'd hate to kill you, but nothing would bring me greater pleasure." Gangstadorf sneered, reaching forward to massage a spot on his side where Link had struck him.

"I'd hate to die." Link called back, aligning the Master Sword with the space between Gangstadorf's eyes. Shrugging casually, the Gerudo raised a fist and brought it back down with a thunderous crash, and the temple seemed to implode within itself.

 **Reviews, favorites, and follows go to the final battle. Be completely honest - who do you think will come out on top? Any final twists along the way. Every rupee counts in the fight for the fate of Hyrule!**

 **Can you believe we've come this far? Looking back and looking forward, what have been the best moments of Remnants? What is there to look forward to?**

 **Until next time... :)**


	63. The Worst of Times

**This is it. The final countdown. The end of an era. The big one. Are you ready?**

 **This may very well be one of the last times I say - er, write - this: READ ON!**

A shockwave rippled throughout the temple, the tiles rolling like waves as they were upended one by one. Rings of plaster and stone shot into the air, the ground bucking and heaving beneath Link. The force of the blast tossed him from his feet and he flew through the air, bracing his fall against a crack-webbed pillar that groaned when he staggered against it. The temple was concealed in a haze of rock dust, shadows flickering with the fading amber light and the form of Gangstadorf. He appeared to be some sort of ghost or monster lurking behind the cover of the smoke, his approaching figure looming and dark against the gold.

"I won't deny that I've done some bad things in my day. You scoff, but it's true. The problem is, you Heroes are all so idealistic. _That ol' rotter Gangstadorf, with his taxes and his heavily impoverished society! What are we going to do with him?_

"Did you ever think that sometimes these things had to be done? There's always an alternative to your situation, however miserable it might be. If you think things are bad around Castle Town, they could be ten times worse. I did what I had to to keep the town alive.

"I'm not pleading the Hero here, but I want you to think before you stick that twig of yours somewhere else. Did you ever wonder if I wasn't as bad as the Resistance memoes made me seem?"

"I remember you laughing as my parents burned to death. I remember the world looking up to your ugly mug with genuine fear. I've seen a lot of people die because of you. Nothing you can say will change my mind." Link growled, already on the prowl as he followed Gangstadorf's shadow. He kept to the shadows to avoid being spotted, memorizing the motions of the Gerudo as he stalked to and fro.

"Hmm... Laughing over the parents' deaths? Yeah, that's a bit off-putting. Should have thought of that. But no bother!" A sharp laugh snapped the silence, escalating to a blood-chilling cackle that seemed to force the stones under Link's boots to rumble.

"You're absolutely insane!" He shouted to the shadowy figure. The dust was beginning to clear, and soon sharper features of Gangstadorf's getup were visible. The billowing cloak, the blood... In a way it was not how Link expected things to end, but if felt so right.

He was about to lunge at the shadow when the pain from his wounds began to catch up with him, adrenaline fading in the lull of the fight. A dagger seemed to grind against his leg and he stumbled, gasping with surprise and shock at the sudden burning across his body. A low rumble of a laugh sounded from Gangstadorf, who was working his way around the pillar almost lazily.

"Getting tired? As am I. Nasty thing about the Triforce – it wears off after a while. Your Courage is being sapped quite a bit, I can imagine. But the funny thing about Power –" Even behind the curtain of dust Link could see Gangstadorf flexing his fist – "Power is eternal. It may weaken, but will never fade. The mantle of Power is taken up by one man after another. But Courage hides in the face of true Power. Even Wisdom bows in recognition of its true master, as she already has. I've taken rather good care of her while you were out cleansing your spirit and fulfilling Hero shenanigans... We had a _lot_ to talk about, as you can imagine. She's very loyal to you - that was one part of her I couldn't break."

The mentioning of Zelda was enough to bring Link back to his feet, blood boiling as he tried to find his bearings again. The floor tilted and wheeled about below him, but he closed his eyes and drew in a breath, rooting himself in the Triforce once more. Golden light gleamed from his hand and his grip tightened on the Master Sword, the fuzziness of pain and fatigue melting away.

"And that's where you're wrong, Big G. That's where you've always been wrong. Courage doesn't just hide in the shadows, licking its wounds. It's biding its time, waiting for the perfect opportunity to _strike!_ "

The Master Sword shot through the air like a crossbow bolt, Link putting every ounce of force he could behind the hilt as he dove from behind the pillar and stabbed. He could hear and feel the fabric tear beneath the blade, armor splintering into sharpened fragments and burying themselves in Gangstadorf's side. The metal again shielded Gangstadorf from any major wound, but his howl of pain was enough indication that this wound delivered a particular sting.

"You pig-scum! I am Gangstadorf, leader of thieves, lord of the Gerudo! Favored by goddesses, bestowed with riches and wisdom! _I will not be trifled with!"_ His words were a barking order, spat between heavy breaths and muttered curses.

The dust settled at Link's boots, revealing the temple in all of its shattered glory. The entire structure seemed to be bent and warped, with splintering columns and piles of pulverized stone. Giving the room a second glance, Link noticed that this distortion had resulted from another cause altogether – the very room itself was fragmented, some parts foreshortened and some cut off like the reflection of broken glass, cracks webbing across his own vision. Gangstadorf's power in the spirit realm was breaking apart.

Before he could launch another attack, Link was thrown to the ground with a sickening crash, the air twisting around him and forcing him into the stone. When he turned around in a vain attempt to regain his footing he noticed Gangstadorf's greaves steaming. The acrid smell of melting metal and seared flesh rose in the air, nearly making Link gag as the steam rose ever higher, wafts of smoke spreading up to the Gerudo's elbows. His hands burst into twin plumes of vibrant red flames. A wrenching scream rose from his throat and he lashed out with one fully armored foot, bringing his leg forward in a whip-like motion nearly too quick for Link's eyes to follow.

His ribs snapped like firecrackers, each one an explosion of pain that raced across his side and thrust the world into a sort of foggy haze. He was dimly aware of Gangstadorf laughing above him, the ridges and tatters of his scarred face catching the golden light of the temple. The agony was staggering and Link wondered if he would pass out there and then, but he drew in all of the strength of the Triforce he had remaining in one mighty hail-mary. The symbol ignited on his hand like a spotlight, too bright for him to view without his eyes stinging, but even the power of the Triforce wasn't enough to mask the hissing, spitting pain that crackled across his side.

Link didn't remember standing, but the next thing he knew he was wavering on his feet in front of a cackling Gangstadorf, willing his limp arm to lift the Master Sword and fight. Exhaustion and fatigue pressed down on his shoulders, as if the entire world were resting on him – he finally knew how it felt. He wished it hurt less.

Gangstadorf seemed no worse for wear, though. Link hadn't been able to inflict any life-threatening wounds to his enemy, who had the gall to stand and laugh at Link cowering at his feet. Some buried scrap of pride fought through the haze of pain and forced Link to stand his ground, to lift his sword in even the _semblance_ of fighting back. He wouldn't go down lying on the floor of the temple. He would go down with everything he had.

"You're almost cute in your patheticness. Don't you get it? Hyrule is mine, and your silly Resistance hasn't done anything to stop it. I have half the mind to run you through with this sword right now." Gangstadorf spun his blade around at the hilt, swinging the steel in a loping windmill motion like a guillotine. With trembling arms Link raised the Master Sword, Zelda's words pouring into his ears as they always did. A perfect stance for a final stand.

"What's stopping you?" The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile, which widened into a grin at the sight of Gangstadorf's sagging scowl.

"Don't say I didn't warn you, kid." The Gerudo snapped, then lunged forward in one deadly thrust of his blade.

Time ground to a complete halt, the temple freezing in one perfect, bloodstained moment. Link could feel every muscle lurch into action as his own body betrayed him, moving in a gesture of athletic grace completely independent of his sluggish, exhaustion-fogged mind. Gangstadorf's form was flawless, one arm thrust forward in a straight line destined for plunging his blade into Link's heart. Now that the world crawled by at a snail's pace, though, Link could gauge every movement, every twitch of the Gerudo's ruined cheek.

As Gangstadorf thrust his weight forward, Link turned his shoulders so that his body was angled with his sword facing away from his target, bracing his arm against the Gerudo's massive metal breastplate to buffer his momentum. The shadowy blade sliced a ruler-straight line through Link's sleeve but inflicted no other damage, the shock blooming across Gangstadorf's face in a manner that was comically slow.

By the time his opponent had reacted, Link had had an eternity to plan. His feet moved in careful, measured steps, pinning Gangstadorf's legs and bracing his sword arm firmly against Link's shoulders with an arm hook. As the Gerudo reared back, trying to throw off Link's grip on his upper arm, the plates of the armor around his midsection flexed and relaxed, opening a gap the perfect size for the Master Sword.

Pulling his arm back and stabbing forward, Link slid the Master Sword cleanly into the middle of Gangstadorf, leader of thieves, lord of the Gerudo's sternum.

A wheezing breath escaped from the body as Link slowly dragged the blade outwards, stained with crimson. The shriek of metal rang distantly in his ears as the sword rubbed against the now-clamped halves of Gangstadorf's armor. Link was so close to the Gerudo he could see his eyes growing wide, pupils stretching to black expanses as shock ran through his system. Bloodied spittle dribbled from his lips and splattered Link's face.

It didn't look like Gangstadorf was in too much pain, which disappointed Link more than he would like to admit. Metal crashed against stone as the Gerudo fell heavily to his knees, damp and wheezing inhalations punctuating the silence in saw-strokes. Link was wondering if he should put the Master Sword through Gangstadorf's hawk-like nose and be done with things when an eruption of light bloomed behind him, washing the amber temple in a coat of glittering gold.

A star appeared to have fallen down to earth, a supernova of golden light that glowed with such intensity that Link could feel the heat simmering on his back. He pivoted to face the new turn of events, hoping upon hope that it wasn't some incorporeal being Gangstadorf had sicced on him. Only when he shielded his eyes and squinted could he make out the hazy sections that formed the glow – three triangles stacked like a pyramid, beaming like the sun. It wasn't the clear-cut geometric shape Link had expected. The Triforced seemed to be shrouded in a glimmering mist, its form almost elusive; the second he thought he spotted an edge it had faded away into a hovering mist.

He took a slow step forward, reaching out a hand towards the Triforce. The motion seemed so right, a whispering chorus of voices urging him on to move forward, extend his body towards the Triforce. The air warmed as he walked closer and closer to the light, and a feeling of calm spread over Link as he approached ever nearer. The Resistance was taking back Castle Town. He had defeated Gangstadorf against all odds. All was well.

All _was_ well. Until Gangstadorf's shadowy blade emerged bloody from Link's abdomen.

There was no pain, only shock as Link turned his head back to see Gangstadorf on all fours, chest heaving, body trembling violently, blood spilling from between his lips. The Gerudo mustered up enough energy raise his head and give Link a chilling, crimson grin of pure malice and withdraw his blade before his limbs seized, head drooping as he choked on his own blood. Metal-plated limbs thrashed against the stone for one brief moment before Gangstadorf – no, _Ganondorf –_ fell motionless to the ground.

There was no feeling but exhaustion, loss weighing on Link's chest as heavily as the sword did. Had he really come so far to die on the floor of the temple, the Triforce within arm's reach? The whispering voices fell back beneath the humming thoughts of Link's mind as his Hero's tunic melded from green to red. With shaking, halting steps he pulled himself forward, the weight of the sword in his hand grating against him like an anchor. Sweat dripped into his eyes and he used a free hand to push his hair out of his eyes. The tip of the Master Sword dragged against the stone, cutting a thin line into the rock as Link hobbled along. Every injury he had managed to acquire seemed to press down on him, his shoulders hunching.

Each breath came short, a thin trail of blood snaking its way down his chin. So much blood spilled – he could see it on the bodies of the Resistance members, on Gangstadorf himself.

Another part of Link was in denial – where was Zelda? He had beaten the archetypal bad guy. This wasn't supposed to happen. Heroes didn't get stabbed, they didn't lose the fight. Everyone loved an underdog. Rather, everyone loved an underdog who won. And Link _had_ won. Hadn't he?

Here he stood, limping forward at a snail's pace with a hole in his chest. The blood of Resistance soldiers was on his hands, the Resistance itself awaiting an unknown fate above. And he didn't even get the girl, to add insult to the injury.

Was everything he did worth it, then?

His vision started to crawl black at the edges. Stumbling forward, he thrust a hand forward into the glowing center of the Triforce, lapping flames enveloping his arm. A golden curtain fell over his vision, the world spinning beneath his feet until his stomach turned and all sense of direction was lost. When he dared to open his eyes the temple appeared to have been repaired: the cracked pillars were whole again, the tiles set evenly. Best of all, Gangstadorf's body had been cleared away.

The Triforce hovered with Link's arm still thrust halfway inside of it. The misty gold churned and flexed like an amoeba, a living entity. Link's eyes were drawn to its center, where a point of light glimmered like a jewel, and a low voice coursed through the temple.

It was almost indistinguishable from the sounds of the temple and Link's labored breathing, more of a thought than spoken words. The language of the Triforce wove through his thoughts, snaking into his ears and out just as easily, a feeling pressed into his mind.

 _A wish, a choice..._

Still dazed with shock and pain, Link forced his head into gear and tried to process the words. Every time he tried they seemed to slip through his fingers, fatigue and the inkling of returning pain begging him to give in, to rest.

 _Three unite as one. The power of All in the hands of the Few._

"A wish." Link tasted copper on his tongue, his voice cracked and raw. Every word felt like a slug to the chest. He didn't dare look down. "I make... A choice."

 _Three unite as one. The world of All in the hands of the Few._

"I have a few demands." Link couldn't help but smile, a choking laugh wrenching itself from his dry throat. "I'd like to see Hyrule... Bettered. Ameliorated, if you want fancy speech. I want Hyrule to return to its former glory, like the rest of the Heroes got to see. I guess you could say I want to see the world of All healed."

 _Former glory. The golden tides roll in again to the coasts, bringing with them a wealth of great riches and splendor. The world of All is enveloped in the acts of the Few._

He coughed, blood thinly coating his lips. The Master Sword shook in his hand, nearly too heavy for him to hold, but he clenched his limp fingers with as much strength as he could muster. Strength that was draining by the second...

"I want to see Zelda again. I want her to be safe, to know that I loved her, and I wish it could have ended any other way but this."

 _Wisdom stands soundly, carried up by the golden tides. Few rescued by the Few, the greatest of the generation. Generations to come..._

Vision wavering, Link slowly sank down to his knees, keeping his hand in the center of the Triforce. Something warm and wet was coursing down his front, the stink of blood clogging Link's nose. The cool of the stone sank into his legs, a welcome relief from the burning heat of the Triforce. He opened his mouth and no sound came out, then cleared his throat and tried again.

"One more thing."

 _The wishes of the Few are not few in number._

Link grinned – at least some divine presence granted him the decency of showing some semblance of humor on his deathbed.

His limbs were too heavy, eyelids drooping as blackness enveloped him, a choking darkness that smothered anything and everything whole. Link sagged to the side, unable to keep himself upright any longer, and felt the cool tile against his cheek as he lay curled on his side. The Master Sword lay clutched in one white-knuckled, blood-covered fist, the Triforce symbol blazing beneath his crimson-dappled glove.

So this was how it ended.

"One more thing." Link breathed, eyes sliding shut. "I want a new motorcycle."

 **Reviews, favorites, and follows go to your genius predictions (like a reviewer nailing the number of chapters of Remnants almost _exactly._ That stuff.) What's going to happen now? Does Link even survive? What about Zelda? How will Hyrule be restored to its former glory?**

 **All this and more for the upcoming update on Tuesday. Can you believe it? The (official) story of Remnants is finished.** **I'M KIND OF FREAKING OUT!** **We've reached the end, the final curtain.**

 **Or have we?**

 **Until next time! :)**


	64. Epilogue

**This is it. This is officially the end. We've reached the finale of this slightly-longer-than-a-year journey. _THIS IS IT._**

 **Can you believe it? Because I'm still kind of in shock.**

 **(Will this be the last time I ever say this?) Read on!**

Hyrule had changed, and yet, it hadn't. Life was normal and fundamentally different, like the world settling in after an earthquake.

Link could see it in the eyes of the Gorons, standing tall among the crowds of Zora. The war had fused their races together as one, each mutually dependent on the other in war and peace. He found a bit of pride in knowing that _that_ change was of his own doing, the drive to the heart of Castle Town that had united the world, if only briefly.

And now that change was here to stay.

He saw it in the sandbags piled against the buildings, the rebuilding from Bokoblin attacks. Castle Town had risen to the occasion, undertaking the massive process of reconstruction from the Bokoblin's last-ditch attempts to gain valor for their master. Not knowing their master was dead by that time, of course.

He saw it in the "everyman," the average citizen who could hold his head up high and look beyond the region of his shoe leather for once. The pride that burned in every heart as they hoisted girders, cut bandages, reached out to one another.

He saw it most of all in the children. Link didn't like to think he was all that sentimental, but he could hear their high, clear laughter as they ran through streets that were safe once more. Hylian heads bobbed through the throngs, beaming smiles following him wherever he went.

Hyrule was by no means perfect, though. There was only so much the Triforce could do, Link thought to himself with a smile. There were still the slums, the arenas that clamored with energy deep into the night, although with significantly less patronage than before. There was the mopping up of Gangstadorf's many underlings to attend to, but the Resistance had fallen over itself to take care of the fridges when Link proposed the problem.

Above it all, though, Castle Town was still Castle Town. It had the good parts and the bad parts, the citadels and the dark alleys. For every golden heart there was a dark one, but that was the reality of life – there was no true happy ending.

But Link was damn well pleased with the one he had gotten.

Because Hyrule hadn't been transformed into a beacon of utter, spotless righteousness, golden glory from a long-lost age. The televisions still blared losses, mothers wept for their fallen daughters and sons. Now Hyrule didn't fold in on itself, festering in the rotting darkness at its core.

Now Hyrule had hope.

Link stood at the summit of a hill, a cobbled road diving beneath his feet and rolling downhill into a sweeping view of the broad causeway. Abandoned cars had been pushed to the sidewalks and towed away, leaving the streets empty for the crush of foot traffic and Hyrule's new transportation of choice for navigating the pedestrian traffic – _motorcycles._ Link heartily approved this new movement, even encouraging it to some degree when he darted around the city in his new set of wheels: a sleek racing motorcycle, every gear oiled to gleaming perfection, with his telltale _3PONA_ license plate hanging from the back. The goddesses didn't skimp.

A hand slipped into his and he turned to see Zelda standing next to him, her hair thrown back in the wind and eyes sparkling as she watched the crowd below. Gorons hoisted supplies above their heads, buckets of paint, plaster and sheets of drywall held over throng like umbrellas.

"It's wonderful." She breathed, voice barely audible above the wind and the dull hum of conversation and engines. Link gripped her hand tighter, although he wasn't sure who was supporting whom. His bloody battle with Gangstadorf, the flurry of Resistance interaction, and the fact that practically everyone in Castle Town either wanted to kiss or kill him had been jarring.

"How long until it's finished?" Link asked, although he already knew the answer.

"Who knows? Soon, I think. Or were you dozing off in those board meetings again?" She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled, tightening her grip on his hand and turning to the crimson sunset. Elation seized Link's heart and flung it a thousand miles into the air until he could scarcely breathe – Zelda was here, the world was safe, Gangstadorf was gone. He had done the impossible.

At what cost? He had only just come back from the Forest Village, carrying the tiny coffin on his shoulder that was lighter than air. Link had seen so many coffins in the time since the Skyscraper, and carried far too many at that, that he realized the smallest coffins seemed to be the heaviest. Kindel's last request had been fulfilled.

Zelda had shown Link her scars mere days before his journey, and she still refused to talk about her time in the Skyscraper. Her eyes were vibrant, but shattered, broken blue bottle-glass with a heart that couldn't accept that it was finally free.

Everyone had lost someone or something in the battle, and Hyrule was still reeling. It was Link's job to set them on track again.

The end was distant, never-ending. The world would never recover from what Gangstadorf had done, but Link and the Resistance had sworn to do whatever they could to bring back the light in the world. The shadows were shrinking, but their ghosts would always remain.

She tipped her face towards his, hair golden in the fading light, eyes like jewels. Even with the bruise blooming across her cheek and the pain in her eyes, she was more beautiful than Link had ever seen her. His breath was stolen as he rested a hand under her chin, so fragile and yet so strong. Gangstadorf hadn't snapped her spirit – he had only made her stronger.

Zelda turned to him suddenly, burying her head in his chest and embracing him as if she were drowning. Link clung to her like a lifeline, feeling her frame pressed against his, shaking.

The world was broken, as so were its people. But Zelda was back, the world was healing.

They had each other, and that was all that mattered.

 **All that stuff I said at the beginning of this chapter about this being the end? Yeah, that was kind of a lie.**

 **We can't let go of Remnants that easily, can we? *resounding 'NO WAY's echo from the hills* Because neither can I. And we can both agree this story isn't over.**

 **Next chapter is acknowledgments, where I gush about how awesome you guys are and recognize a few individuals who were really decisive in helping shape and continue Remnants. You know who you are :)**

 **For those of you who have been reading for sixty-some-odd chapter and never written a single note of your opinion, just type a few words in for a review. We've come full circle, and I want to know what you thought! The good, the bad, and the ugly. I guess you can say reviews, favorites and follows go to a year of Remnants. _(_ _A YEAR!)_**

 **Until next time!**


	65. Acknowledgements

Do you know how the story of Remnants started? I was sitting on the floor with my laptop, opened OpenOffice and just started writing. It's that simple.

Did you know I didn't want to post Remnants originally? I was afraid that my work would somehow offend the fandom, that Remnants was such a departure from typical Zelda fashion that it would be almost sacrilegious. It probably is, but as you can imagine, I've gotten over that idea now.

I don't know what I expected Remnants to turn into, but certainly not the 200-review, 200 thousand word behemoth that it is today. Did you know Remnants is longer than the Goblet of Fire? _That's really long, pal._ Pat yourself on the back for a second. That's dedication there.

But you know what motivated me when I really didn't want to write? What kept me going through every boss battle, every snarky comment, and every existential crisis? It was you, and I mean that with total sincerity. I loved imagining your reactions, crafting each scene to immerse you in the story.

Your words of kindness motivated me really and truly. I'd like to point out a few special individuals who have been with Remnants and supported me the entire way: The Charging Rhino (You're the real MVP), ChangelingRin, Carottal, The Hylian Chronicler, RandomObserver42, Maya-430, Zelda-Princess-of-Time, SausageLink43, and countless others. (Sorry if I missed you!) We've come a long way from my first review, and I quote, "SUCH SWEG, MUCH GANGSTA, I WANT MOAR."

Good times.

To those listed above, and to anyone who's ever encouraged me on this crazy journey, thank you. Thank you for your critiques and your insight, your dedication and simply, your awesomeness. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you take time out of your day to review a work of mine, and I hope I can return the favor to each and every one of you in the future.

Thank you to everyone who had to hear a crazy rant about Remnants' storyline for hours on end (you know who you are!) and suffered through it. Thank you for diving into Hyrule once or twice every week and supporting my writing. Hopefully it wasn't a waste of your time :)

And where does Remnants go from here? Beyond this chapter I'll post the occasional bonus chapter, because Remnants isn't going out with a whisper. Want to know what happened to Zelda in the Castle Skyscraper? And how Link will quash Gangstadorf loyalists throughout the realm? Stick around, my friend. Time will tell!

Infinitely, thank you. You've pushed me to my limits and made Remnants a thousand times better than it could be. Your comments brightened every one of my Fridays (and Tuesdays!) and I can't thank you enough for those moments.

Here's to a thousand more!

Until next time!

\- Caro


	66. Bonus Chapter: Captivity

**I'M ALIVE! And super pumped since I've been playing BoTW for the past few hours! It's incredible and gorgous and you need to go buy it right away.**

 **Since it's the release date of the new game and a month since Remnants was "officially" completed (note the quotation marks) I figured it's time for a few bonus chapters. Ever wondered what happened to Zelda during Link's quest? How she escaped the Castle Skycraper? What happens next in the story? Prepare to have some loose ends tied up.**

 **This chapter deals with Zelda's captivity in the Skyscraper while Link was off galavanting across Hyrule, so it's a flashback. Read on!**

Every day was a cycle. It was drilled into Zelda's skull with a diamond-edged saw, until her mind was so full of the grating she could hardly stand it.

Breakfast was served on the plate of a moldering, cracked tile. Her cell sat beside the massive furnace that heated the Skyscraper, deep beneath the earth where no one could hear her screams. Ganondorf had made sure she knew of that. She would be lucky to have a crust of bread each morning. Once he sent her a rock as a joke, and then a shredded page of a Hylian history book. The embellished page was soon soiled from the grime that coated the floor, and the gold leaf flaked away from the humidity. Sanity fading away before her eyes.

The extent of time between breakfast and dinner could only be described as hell. Sometimes Ganon came to oversee her punishment, but sometimes he left the dirty work to his underlings. She was ushered around the various rooms of the dungeons that seemed like they hadn't been used since the Dark Ages. Zelda didn't know where Ganon drudged the rooms up, each more inventive and horrendous that the other. A millennium of bloodstains.

Every day, the same question loomed above her head. _Where is he?_

Ganondorf wanted to know as well. He informed her of it while he decided which poker he wanted to heat over the fire. He would twirl them between his thick fingers and show off the various designs as if they were works of art. Zelda quickly learned that the slimmer ones burned with a greater intensity than the broader ones, but she would never bend to his will. Never show defeat. No matter how many chains, drills, saws, blades, or pokers he threatened her with, no matter how much her physical body deteriorated, she would never give up the battle of spirit.

She did allow herself to scream, however. That was one small luxury she would permit.

But the most torturous events of the day surrounded the dinner hour. Zelda was led, sometimes carried, into her very own bedroom to prepare for her evening meal. The aching familiarity hurt worse than any tool Gangstadorf could devise, an agony that could not be felt in body but in mind. Silent handmaidens dressed her bruised, broken body in the finest silks, applying paint to her remaining fingernails and carefully cleaning her blood-streaked locks until they hung lightly around her shoulders. The most expensive of cosmetics couldn't cover up the deep shadows beneath her eyes, with her sleep tortured by screams of other prisoners she wasn't even sure existed. Her own head had rebelled against her long ago.

Zelda wished more than anything that the handmaidens would talk to her, even give her a word of support, but they were as stiff and quiet as another piece of furniture. They couldn't have spoken if they tried, though – Ganondorf had cut out their tongues.

She was thankful for the corset tonight, as it was the only thing keeping her supported. Her head was still reeling from the day's events, when one of Gangstadorf's Goron minions had kept her strapped to a rotating spit like a cut of meat. Zelda could still feel the flames baking into her skin, and her hands shook despite how hard she clutched them to her chest.

The meal was splendid, as dinners always were with the Lord of the Gerudo. Succulent cuts of meat dripping with juices, fresh fruits cut in dainty patterns and the finest wines in goblets, with the harder stuff in finger glasses. A simmering stew sat before Zelda now, rich red with vegetables and ample amounts of meat floating below the surface. The soup had the uncanny appearance of blood, and her stomach turned violently.

This dining hall had once belonged to her father. When he passed away, to Gangstadorf. Memories of life before her flight were inescapable, and Zelda felt as if she were being waterboarded, her lungs filling with liquid until she couldn't breathe. She was drowning in the memories, the pain, the leering smile of Ganondorf as he smirked at her from across the table.

"I don't understand you," he said simply, and Zelda raised her chin. The mere effort of doing so send a shockwave of pins stabbing down her spine, a rumbling of a thousand aches and pains that she had accumulated from her stay in the Skyscraper.

"I torture you in every manner I can imagine. You've already broken, but I still can't wrench anything out of you. Am I not trying hard enough?" Pointed canines beamed down at her, a toothy grin that stretched the Gerudo's features like a demon.

A shiver racked Zelda's body despite herself. Even the thought of more punishment was enough to chill her blood to ice, reawakening the blooming pains as they spread across her skin like wildfire. The mere memory of today's torture rendered her helpless before Ganondorf, and he knew it. He _relished_ it.

Reaching forward daintily, and forcing her hand to remain still and not tremble, Zelda speared a single potato in her soup and brought it to her lips. Her eyes burned into Ganondorf's, daring him to make the next move.

"How you manage this facade of strength is incredible. I knew you were strong, princess, but never like this. I'm running out of things to take from you. Your sheer willpower is astounding. That was a complement, by the way." He smiled again, his face dragging apart in that vacant grin she despised. Zelda wished for nothing more than to deliver a strong kick to those tombstone teeth. It would be rather like bowling, with all of them falling out at once.

The thought gave her a modicum of strength and she sat up straighter, reaching for her wineglass and taking a gentle sip. The liquid parched her tongue and stung her nose, but it left a sweet taste in her mouth that masked the coppery tang of blood. Anything to numb the pain.

"I'm legally obligated to ask you this every day, so let's not beat around the bush." Another joke. Was her torture just a game to him? "Where is the Hero?"

She would not tell. No matter what he did to her, no matter how many months, _years_ she had to stay in captivity. The thoughts were noble and easy to say at the moment, but she caught the dark thoughts creeping in while she lay in her cell at night, cheek pressed against the slimy stones.

Link had been chosen as he Hero, yes. There was no denying that. But Zelda had gotten to know Link better than most. She had seen his anger, his doubts. She had seen the darkness that lurked within his heart, and she had seen how easily that darkness could control him. Was her fate in the best and most capable hands?

 _Blasphemy,_ she chided herself, almost jokingly. _Link will come. If I lose my faith in him, I lose everything. I will not give Ganondorf my hope that easily._

"You must eat. Keep up your strength and all. So much crying requires some hydration." Ganondorf was playing the role of the parent, looking after her. Nurturing her like her father would have done – had Gangstadorf not killed the man. Loathing burned in her chest until she could hardly stand it, her nails biting into her palms and drawing pinpricks of blood beneath her ashen skin. Her hatred consumed her totally, an utter disgust for the man who sat before her like a king. A magician-god playing with his puppets and pulling their little strings.

"I will keep my promise to you, Zelda. You are the closest thing I have to a daughter, after all. I have grown rather fond of you over the years – you have a rebellious streak I admire."

"You only admire my _screams_ ," Zelda seethed in response, drawing the wineglass to her lips. Her words smarted on her tongue more than the liquor did, and she forced herself to keep a sneering scowl from her face. Freshly painted lips twisted in a saccharine-sweet smile, and a bloom of victory spread across her chest as the sight of Ganondorf's deepening frown.

"You know well that's not true. I don't wish to hurt anyone. Laugh if you want to, I mean every word. The pain you feel now is your own fault. One word, one town, one name, and it would all be over with. A contact, an accomplice. All of your fear and agony vanishing in an instant." Ganondorf twirled his hand around lazily, strands of white light knitting their way around his palm and threading through his fingers. Zelda's traitorous heart lurched at the sight of the healing magic. Her body ached for release, her mind clamoring in an endless cacophony for the end of her agony. Freedom.

"I will never yield to you." She hissed, clenching her teeth and staring into the dark pits of Ganondorf's eyes with pride and determination. Zelda would not give in.

Dishes clinked as the servants brought in another course, footsteps eerily silent against the plush carpeting of the dining hall. A delicate bird sat fallen on Zelda's porcelain, with candyfloss feathers implanted into a moist golden glaze. Death lingered so near, siting calmly on her dinner plate. She recoiled from the dish, and Ganondorf released a hearty chuckle.

"This doesn't please you, o princess? Is my best not good enough for such noble blood? Gifted by the goddesses?" He was frustrated she wasn't giving in, taunting her in her weakness. In a way, his petty gestures served to bolster Zelda's morale. She still had power over him, even though the Gerudo would rather fall on his sword than admit it. He needed her information, and thus he needed her alive. It was a small comfort in his hell.

The dinner room was suddenly thrown in sharp relief in Zelda's eyes. The ceiling hung low like fangs on some ancient beast, candles shooting high into the air like flamethrowers. Gangstadorf seemed to loom higher and higher in her vision, his shoulders broadening and his eyes darkening until they stared down at her with icy black intensity. He was a demon from the bedtime stories her father would tell her as a child, who had escaped the clutches of the underworld and had come to snatch her away to his terrible domain. Fire burst from his hair, his teeth sharpening and curling over his lips that dripped blackened blood. Claws erupted from his hands and she screamed, screaming and screaming until she fell from her chair, the glass of wine shattering in her hand as she cowered from the monstrosity before her.

The handmaidens rushed in to take her away, shaking so terribly she could hardly support herself. As she lay shivering on the carpet of the dining room, blood and wine pooling in her palm, Gangstadorf stood from his chair and meandered over to where she lay. He was no longer a beast anymore, the apparition of her half-mad mind. Yet she couldn't shake the menacing thoughts lingering at the back of her skull, the voice of Ganon crooning in her ear as she was led away.

"This is where you are wrong, princess, and this is where you will always be wrong. You yielded to me a long time ago."

The last sound thundering in Zelda's ears before her eyes rolled up into her head was the clamor of the Gerudo's laughter.

 **Reviews, favorites, and follows go to the next chapter... What plot holes do _you_ want filled? What do you want to explore that we didn't in the main story? What characters do you want to see? This is completely in your hands, so hit me up with your creative genius! :)**

 **I'm so glad I'm back! And if you're a fan of Marvel, be watching this account in the weeks to come *wink wink***

 **Until next time!**


	67. Bonus Chapter: Mission Report

**Just when you couldn't get enough of Remnants, we're back! And this time we turn the spotlight to everyone's favorite smartmouthed Korok. What happened before everyone's favorite smartmouthed Hero showed up in his life? The story is more tragic than you might expect.**

 **Click-baited (or should I say, read-bated) yet?**

 **Read on!**

The Korok scouts were the most elite of the elite. Often living in the jungle for weeks on their lonesome, they were famous around the realm for their unparalleled skills in stealth, tactical assaults, and kill rates. If the Korok scouts had marked you for death, you were a dead man. It helped that Koroks were only about knee-level on most other major species that populated Hyrule, but they comprised forty pounds of pure rage.

It was really rather frightening.

Hand-picked by Alder, leader and elder of the Korok race, the scouts were tasked with the maintenance and protection of the Korok homeland. They had become so good at their job that few dared to venture into the woods that surrounded the Forest Village for fear of death by blow-dart. One might even say that their success was their failure. A culture of avoidance had grown surrounding the Korok realm, and it seemed that the leafy creatures were largely left to their own devices in protected isolation. For years this peace had reigned, the Koroks thrived, and all was well.

When Gangstadorf had risen Kindel was ready for the challenge. He was in the prime of his life as the head of his scouting squadron and yearned for some action. A tyrannical dictator was right up his alley, and the Gerudo's threat was growing more and more imminent every day. Rumors wound through the trees that massive armies were being assembled, monsters spawning by the thousands for a massive takeover of the realm. Alder and the Koroks wouldn't stand for it, so the scouts had their mission for the first time in decades – discover the truth of the Gerudo's plot.

Kindel's squad was small, but deadly, the motto of the Korok special forces. Linder, his right-hand man, would handle any strategic offense or numerical procedures, while Rown assembled weapons and supplies. Kindel was the brains of the operation, commanding strict loyalty from his squad members. Their trust was complete, their skills honed to their utmost, their blood rushing for the thrill of the mission.

Kindel would never admit it to anyone, but he had yearned for a task like this. He appreciated the peace that had cloaked the Forest Village, but the cloak was becoming stifling. Soldiers had been trained to fight, and who was he if all of his training was for naught? Looking to his sides, he could see Linder and Rown felt the same way. Eyes bright like jewels in the falling darkness, wide with anticipation. Ready for the challenge.

They moved through the forest like shadows, blending into the patches of darkness as they wove between each other with every breath of the wind. The forces of nature were no stranger to Kindel, and he could command them at will. Magic was largely restricted in deep-field operations, and Kindel preferred it that way. The Koroks' skill at blending into their environment had cost many a warlord or tyrant his life, and Kindel took up the mantle with pride. In the blackness he was invisible. This was his territory – he could have exited the forest blindfolded if he wanted to – and he was in his element.

The mission had an air of mystery around it. Everything was going right. With the pale moonlight shining through the dappled treetops like beams of silver, Kindel felt as if some immortal deity was shining down on him. A blessing for his task, for his safety. It was encouraging in a strange way, but his mind wandered back towards his task.

Footsteps fell silently on the canopy of the trees, with the Koroks swinging between boughs and weaving under swaths of ivy. Kindel took a moment to appreciate the skills of the two beside him: even laden with weapons, Rown was as silent as a ghost in the night, and Linder traced movements Kindel couldn't hope to hear with rotations of his clever head. If it wouldn't have compromised his mission, Kindel would have released a cry of joy to the sky. _Finally, a true test!_

Once they left the emerald foliage of the forest, the three Koroks crouched together and took hands. Rown began the ancient chant, his words falling like stones on Kindel's shoulders as the runes flowed from his mouth. Linder's clear voice overlapped, forming a mystical counterpoint to Rown's deep tones, both drifting together and juxtaposing each other in a manner that made the blades of grass surrounding the three lean forward to hear more. This was magic Kindel had been raised on – not the magic to spawn monsters or gain powers, but magic as old as the earth itself.

The trees groaned in an orchestra of nature, the serenade of crickets and frogs filling the air with gentle strings and drumbeats. Kindel's voice fell into step with the other two, rising into a melodious cantor as he guided their voices towards their destination. The grass withered, the flowers faded, he could visualize the harshness of the desert before him. Gently, like a stream flowing over mossy stones, the ground beneath the Koroks' feet gave way to shifting sand, the familiar strains of the forest song drifted into oblivion as the scouts were transported to their destination.

The moon still shone brightly in the sky, but its rays fell on desolation. A chill ran through Kindel's spine as he observed the desert surrounding him. Despite his extensive training in every field of terrain, he couldn't shake the unnaturalness of the sands that surrounded him. Koroks had grown up surrounded by the life-blood of the world, and to have that ripped away in an instant hurt like a physical wound.

He would not let sentimentality triumph over his task, though. Ducking on the ground, he turned to the shadowed forms of Rown and Linder.

"Do we have eyes on the target?"

Linder angled his head to the side, twisting at the waist to listen for the telltale sounds of the alleged monster army. A frown creased his young face and he turned back to Kindel with a worried expression. "I don't hear a thing. Could we have come to the wrong place?"

"Impossible," Linder replied, crossing his arms with frustration. "I plotted this point myself. It triangulates from every one of our sources. If this army exists anywhere in Hyrule, it would be right here!"

Kindel focused on the horizon, narrowing his eyes and pulling his thoughts together. Something itched at the back of his mind, but he couldn't put a finger on it. "Our job is to merely confirm the existence of this force and give an estimate on its size. We would be failing our duty if we return now. Rown, did you bring sandshoes?"

A low laugh drifted over the wind as Rown rolled his eyes. "What kind of a scout would I be if I didn't?" he passed a pair to Linder and Kindel, the tenseness of the previous moments melting away as they donned their new apparel. Rown joked with Linder about cloaking devices and invisibility spells, but Kindel's gaze found the rolling hills of the desert sands once more. Something was wrong here, and it was his job as squad leader to find out what.

Shaking his head, Kindel kicked himself and turned back to the two Koroks. He was being paranoid. It was his first mission, and he wanted to perform well for Alder and the sake of the Korok race. A big burden to carry – anyone would feel the same way. His mission would be a success, and that was that.

"Rown, will you set a course?" Kindel asked the quartermaster, who aligned his hand with the moon and squinted, calculations spinning through his head.

"This way, sir. I'll bring us to the monsters' doorstep." he grinned, then set off without another sound, gliding down the side of the sand dune without so much as a whisper.

Pure focus settled over the small band as they traipsed their way through the desert, the whistling wind crying over them. Kindel extended his consciousness outward, feeling for any signs of life or sounds that would indicate the army that they had come from. He felt nothing, totally alone in the frigid desert. It was devoid of life save the three Koroks, and yet there was something simmering beneath Kindel's skin that kept him on edge. Rown and Linder were intrigued. They had expected this mission to be simple, but now they were on a hunt for their foes. The prey had become the predator. Yet Kindel could still feel a shadow looming over his back. What was _wrong_ with him?

They were climbing to the top of the dune when Kindel reached for the short dagger at his side. His hand fit into the hilt like a glove, but the familiarity couldn't shake the urgency that suddenly seized him. He opened his mouth to keep Rown from moving forward, but the Korok had already reached the top of the hill. Kindel watched as his jaw dropped open, staring openly at the sight that lay before him.

Kindel crept forward on hands and knees, and he gasped when he observed the spread of the desert that fell out before him. A swooping valley dove below the rising sand dunes, easily as large as the Forest Village tenfold. Massive floodlights bathed the valley in a sterile, shocking light that made Kindel flinch away. But what occupied the valley made him recoil even more were the ranks of monsters that formed blocks of startling red and black. Drowned in the light of the floodlights, they appeared to be wraiths dragged out of the depths of the Underworld. The monsters broke from their ranks to scuffle with each other, brandishing their weapons like they were the finest Hyrule had to offer.

The eeriest facet of the camp, though, was its utter silence. Every cry of the Bokoblins, the crack of weapons against each other, every motion made no sound whatsoever.

"Why didn't we detect them?" Linder yelped, letting his voice rise far too loudly above safe levels. Kindel was too shocked to reply – he was wondering the exact same thing. The floodlights should have been visible for miles, and there were thousands of monster troops in the valley. Hell, Kindel should have been able to hear them from the Forest Village!

"This magic, but it isn't magic that I've ever seen. I can feel it..." Kindel muttered, searching for the words that could reflect the darkness lingering at the back his mind. The Korok squadrons were supposed to be elite, untouchable, unsurpassed in their talents. Kindel's squad was the best of the best. They should not have been surprised. They _could_ not have been surprised. It was impossible.

"Should we abort the mission?" Rown asked, and Linder looked appalled.

"Impossible! We can't let Alder down!" he gasped, but Kindel held up a hand to silence him.

"Before we make any rash decisions, let's consider all of our options. This is magic we've never dealt with, that we might not be able to trace. Linder, do you think you can set out some sort of safety net? See if you can identify the source."

Linder straightened with the order, some semblance of normalcy returning to the mission. "Permission to use magic, sir?"

"Granted." Kindel turned back to the camp, observing the monster mobs with renewed interest. After a few moments of quiet he turned back to his partner. "Anything, Linder?"

Kindel was met with a frustrated scowl. "It's untraceable."

"The magic? How?" Rown was just as startled as Linder was. Koroks were known for their command of magic – even if the squad's main talent wasn't in their magical capacity, they were able to wield their inborn skills handily. And if Linder, the most magically capable of the squad, wasn't able to identify the magic, they were in deep trouble.

Linder shook his head, grinding his foot into the sand. "No, you don't get it. It's _untraceable._ This whole valley is like a dead zone. If we're talking magic, it doesn't exist. We're standing on the edge of a black hole."

Rown turned back to Kindel, panic igniting in his dark eyes. "You said you could feel something, right, Kindel?" The term _black hole_ had obviously scared him. Rown was a weapons man, and the idea of magical threat he couldn't face with his bare hands wasn't his forte. Kindel had expected that Linder would be intrigued by this challenge, but there was too much on the line.

Kindel took a steadying breath. This mission would make or break him. He would not allow a hiccup in the plan lose him his position he had fought for for so long. "We stick to the mission. We do not have to engage the monsters. Linder, calculate approximately how many soldiers there are, a range will do. Rown, keep an eye out for any monsters on patrol. If they can mask their location I'm sure they can mask themselves as well."

Rown drew his cleaver, a weapon far too heavy for his style of battle. He was nervous. Kindel was nervous as well, but these mistakes would cost them a scout's life. Kindel would have to be the influence that would return him to his senses, but he himself was offset by this challenge. The mission was simple, and they had found the camp. What more could possibly go wrong?

Kindel was watching Linder when he turned back to report the size of the army when the slender blade split through his chest. His wooden body snapped so audibly in the silence of the night, the first real sound Kindel had heard since the forest song. Rown released a screech of rage and fear and stabbed forward blindly. The cleaver froze in midair with a squeal of pain. From the site of impact cracks webbed across Kindel's vision, which flaked away to reveal the crippled form of a standard Bokoblin.

Less intimidated by an enemy he could see, Rown launched himself forward with practiced precision, his strokes strong and powerful as he tore into the monster. In seconds the Bokoblin was finished.

The soft hiss of the sand echoed under Linder's knees as he fell to the ground, eyes wide and breaths rasping between the Bokoblin's steel. Kindel darted forward and placed a hand against Linder's wounded chest, words spilling from his tongue of healing and sun and everything he could muster that would repair the damage. Linder's deep eyes stared back into his – they both knew it there was too much damage, the dark magic seeping into the Korok's body and claiming his limbs. A wheezing breath escaped Linder's lips, a failed attempted at last words, and his body grew limp in Kindel's arms.

That was the last straw. Kindel turned and grasped Rown's hand, dragging him away from the valley with the runes of teleportation spilling from his mouth as quickly as he could utter them. Scooping up the still body of Linder in his arm, Kindel dropped his blade and sprinted. Silence still reigned over the pounding of Kindel's heart, the screams that refused to escape his lips.

Tears and betrayal burned in his eyes as the sand melded into grass, the smell of the Forest Village returning like a familiar embrace. Could Linder smell his home, or had he already passed on? Frantically propping his friend upright, Kindel continued his incessant chanting, scrounging up everything he could muster to bring Linder back. A limp hand clutched his, dull eyes igniting for one more moment as they traced the treetops of home. Kindel could feel the relief pouring from Linder's body as he rested, his body relaxing and unwinding as his soul rose to the canopy.

Stars gleamed above Kindel's head as he knelt over Linder's body, releasing a shout of anger towards the unfeeling gods, that silver moon of sharpened steel that had pierced his friend's heart. Failure slammed down on him and tears streamed down his face, beating his fists against Linder's shattered chest. The forest, which had been home mere moments ago, stood by unhelping. Magic had failed him. His training had been worthless to save Linder's life. His instincts had fallen by the wayside for the purpose of what, a _mission?_

What was a mission in exchange for the life of his friend? His brother in arms?

Kindel had failed Alder. He had failed the Korok people, and he had failed everyone who those monsters might harm. He had failed his closest friend. As he raised his head to those glossy stars, the diamonds as cold as ice that shattered in his heart, he swore one thing to the now-frozen world

He would never allow himself to fail again.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the glut of feels that have been attacking y'all in these last few chapters. What questions do you still have about the Remnants world? I have so many sub-plots to flesh out, but which ones do you want to see most?**

 **Until next time! :)**


	68. Bonus Chapter: Getaway

**Another bonus chapter because I can't give this story up for the life of me :)**

 **Every wonder how Link got Epona in the first place? Well, read on!**

The black eye, cracked rib, and aches from being thrown to the arena floor had been worth it to see the Zora's limp form being dragged from the ring. The stout referee thrust Link's arm in the air in victory, and a roar filled the humid stadium as the spectators crowded forward to observe the next fight. His face was bloodied, his body throbbed and the arena was sweltering, but Link had never felt more alive.

The small purse was slipped into his fist as he walked out of the ring to make way for the next competitor, a brawny-looking Goron with scars peppering his rocky flesh. Whoever he was facing had a big storm coming for them. Link took a seat beside the other fighters who were waiting for their turn or had stuck around to watch the rest of the matches – or make a few rupees betting off of them, at any rate. A few offered Link congratulations, but most kept stonily silent, literally stony in the case of the Gorons. Link expected as much. He had fought many of them before, and grudges ran deep in the arena.

Link pulled his shirt and boots back on as the Goron's opponent stepped forward, a nasty-looking Moblin with a twisted, dripping snout and overlarge hands clenched into fists. It was rare that a monster came forward to the ring, and the Moblin's approach was met with a series of boos and jeers. Link rested his elbows on his knees as the projectiles began to sail towards the monster, an odd assortment of bottles and rocks and greasy wrappers. The temperature in the arena appeared to be rising, and Link could feel the frenzy of the crowd behind him rise as well. Tensions ran high as the referee stepped onto the floor, dwarfed by the size of the Goron and the Moblin beside him.

Any words of introduction and fair play, all of which were disregarded anyways, were lost in the cheering and stomping of the spectators. Link's leg bobbed up and down as he waited for the two competitors to make their first moves while the referee scurried away to a safe distance. The Goron began circling the Moblin, who stood firmly in his place and eyed his opponent through a squinted, beady gaze.

Finally the Goron tired of games and lunged forward, one fist thrown in the direction of the Moblin's gut. It wasn't a particularly clean punch, far too slow were the Goron's opponent a Hylian or a Zora, but Moblins weren't famed for their reaction time. Just as Link had prepared for the thud of impact the Moblin darted away with a smooth sidestep, leaving the overconfident Goron to stumble forward and try to counterbalance his thrust.

The Moblin beat him to it. Fists descended in a double-handed blow, and the Goron screamed as the Moblin's blow snapped the bones of his lower leg. Link didn't flinch – he had seen enough of the fight by now. Ducking under the extended hands of the crowd, he strode out the door and into the cool nighttime air. The roars and slurs of the arena faded to the buzz of city streets and cars. Link inhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the wallet in his pocket heavy against his leg. The night had been a good one: no debilitating wounds, rocks to the face or ex-opponents challenging him to a rematch. He had even won.

Link knew it was too good to be true when he caught sight of the cluster of Zora lingering in the opening of a nearby alley. Their gazes were deliberate and their actions the opposite of their intended nonchalant. They meant trouble, and he was going to be receiving it.

The Zoras' eyes followed him as he paced a few steps to the right, debating his options. He could walk home, but they might catch him on the way or know his address, which could lead to a whole new world of trouble. He could go back into the ring, where he would have a modicum of protection, or he could confront them. Choosing the most irrational of the three, Link stepped forward into the street and walked towards the alley, squaring his shoulders and drawing himself to his full height.

Even the Zora themselves seemed shocked with his boldness as he stepped towards them, and they shoved a member of their small group forward once Link reached the opposite sidewalk. He recognized the ugly mug of the Zora he had just kicked around in the ring, his already unimpressive features sullied by twin black eyes and a few new missing teeth. The Zora sneered at Link, swaying slightly on his feet with a simple sort of look plastered across his features.

"Hey, you. Lookin' for trouble?" the Zora drawled, his words slurred by whatever alcohol left a cloud of odor around him and his group of cronies. Trying their hardest to look tough, the remaining Zora cracked their knuckles or scowled, flashing their sharpened fins.

"No trouble, boys, no trouble." Link shook his head and held his hands up. "What's a nice guy like you doing in a place like this?"

The Zora scoffed and stepped forward, looking down at Link over his newly broken nose. "This one's a funny guy. Think you're so smart now? Huh? Think you're better than us?"

"I can't speak for the rest of your pals, but I can say with great certainty that I'm better than _you._ Tonight only proved that." Flashing the Zora group a winsome smile, Link watched as the lead Zora's face heated and he spat out an unintelligible mixture of flustered syllables.

"Well, the joke's on you, funny guy. You know what happens to guys like you in times like these?"

Link didn't need to look to see the daggers hanging from the sides of the drunken Zora men, or hear the hiss of metal as they were partially drawn from their sheaths. What had appeared to be an alcohol-induced prank had turned dangerous, and he would need to find an out soon. Glancing around to both sides, Link stepped forward and patted his recent opponent tenderly on the shoulder, since it was the shoulder Link had dislocated in the previous match.

"All right, you've made your point. No more funny business. Want to catch another match in there? I'll pay for your tickets." Reaching into his pocket, Link grabbed his wallet and realized he had made a grave mistake. The Zora had been searching for an excuse to take a stab at him, and now they had one. Eyes sharpened as the rupees jingled in Link's pocket, and he held up a hand to stay their slow advance.

"Easy, fellas, there's a ticket in this for all of you. Fetch!" Link pulled the wallet from his pocket and hurled it back into the alley with all of his might. Rupees sailed above the Zoras' heads and they ran after the cash gleefully, buying Link a few seconds to turn on his heel and run for safety.

He dove into the night rush crowds – Hylians looking for a good time, ignorant tourists, and a fair share of drunks to boot. Pushing his way through the throngs, Link's feet pounded against the pavement as he put as much distance between him and the Zora gang as he could. Escaping them on foot would be futile, but where could he hitch a ride?

A Hylian woman shrieked as Link plowed directly into her, upending her armfuls of parcels and packages. Shouting back an apology, he continued his sprint as the cries of "There he is!" and "Get him!" thundered from behind him. The Zora had claimed their prize, but were chasing after the true reward – kicking Link's teeth in.

He wouldn't allow them the pleasure.

Turning a corner sharply, Link rushed forward and surveyed the street before him. Ritzy shops and high-end boutiques, many gone to seed, stuffed the brightly lit storefronts. The area still drew a higher-class crowd, which reflected itself in the swanky rides parked along the pavement. Well-oiled sports cars, vehicles that looked like they had been washed in the past month, and a fair supply of motorcycles lined up like dominoes before Link's eyes.

By the blessing of some holy goddess above, his eyes fell on a single motorcycle from the lot. It lingered near Link's vantage point in front of a department store, bathed in the white light from the storefront like a beam of holy blessing. Its body was painted a cherry red, most likely brand-new, and Link spotted a flash of silver hanging from the handlebars. Some idiot had left the keys to the motorcycle in.

Link figured that this was some divine gift and the owner of this machine wouldn't begrudge him for it, so he ran forward and swung onto the back of the bike as the Zora gang rounded the corner. Shouts rang out across the street as they barreled towards Link, who twisted the keys to the right and brought the engine roaring to life. Glancing backward, Link noticed the bright "3PONA" license plate hanging from the seat with a smile.

"All right, Epona. Let's do this."

He had seen his fair share of cop shows on TV, so he figured he could handle himself on the motorcycle if he knew its basic controls. These assumptions became evident as horrendously wrong when he wrenched his wrist backward and the motorcycle leaped up onto the curb with a screech of tires, sending shoppers and pedestrians diving for cover. Yanking the handlebars to the side, Link pulled onto the sidewalk and hung on for dear life as the motorcycle tore down the street. The machine seemed to have a mind of its own, accelerating with a rising roar. Knuckles white on the handlebars, Link tried his hardest to avoid anyone in his path without throwing himself from the motorcycle as well.

The Zora gang had amassed at the corner, and they had just prepared to throw themselves at Link when he tore around the corner at a blistering pace and sped by them in a second. Whooping with excitement, Link threw a fist in the air and immediately brought his hand back to the handlebars when the motorcycle gave a dangerous wobble below him. Every shift in his weight pulled the bike left and right, making for a precarious journey back up the street and past the ring. Now that the immediate threat had been left in the dust, Link felt a smile spread across his face as he maneuvered Epona back onto the street and wove between the gridlocked cars.

As he angled the motorcycle towards home, Link thought back to his wallet lying empty in the alley behind him. He had lost his winnings yet won a motorcycle – that had to mean something. Perhaps some things didn't end badly after all, even in Hyrule. A guy could dream.

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to the poor schmuck that left the keys to his motorcycle in... Every rupee counts to get him a new set of wheels!**

 **By the way, if you like Marvel I would recommend trying out a new story of mine I just posted - it's called Repulse and it follows Steve Rogers, Tony Stark and Clint Barton through a steampunk-inspired World War II. Also, shameless self-advertising :)**

 **Until next time! Feel free to drop in any reccomendations for new chapters of Remnants!**


	69. Bonus Chapter: A Moment of Privacy

**Guess who's still around and tenaciously clinging to to this story... You guessed it, there's another Remnants chapter!**

 **What happens once the war's over? How are our beloved princess and her knight faring in their new roles? *winks***

 **Read on!**

"I don't think we're supposed to be swordfighting in the throne room."

"It's a rapier, thank you very much, and aren't you the one telling me to live a little?" Zelda stood atop the plush cushion adorning the ceremonial throne of Hyrule, a sandwich in one hand and a gleaming steel rapier in the other. Knowing Zelda, she probably knew how to kill Link in fifty ways with either.

"Touché." Link drew the Master Sword from its sheath and raised it to the sky. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

Rolling her eyes, Zelda leveled the tip of her rapier in the direction of his chest. "You won't need to. Come on!"

They hadn't dueled properly since the skirmish in the Sandsea, and Link was prepared to show off the skills he had gained during his quests as the Hero. Squaring his shoulders and backing into his defensive position, he drew his blade upright to deflect a wild overhead swing from Zelda. Metal crashed against metal, echoing in the richly adorned hall. The underground catacombs of the Skyscraper had been excavated to reveal the grandeur beneath the centuries of disregard, and the gleaming golden decorations wove like veins throughout the walls of the long hall.

Link ducked underneath a fold-up table still stacked high with blankets from the day's distribution, pulling himself up and jabbing the Master Sword forward towards Zelda's side. Dancing away from his strike, she slid her rapier level with his and twisted her wrist. Link recognized the disarming maneuver and battered her slim blade away, rapping the flat of the sword against her shoulder.

"That's one for me!" he called triumphantly, and she made a face at him.

"See if you can do it again, Hero," Zelda taunted, twisting her blade in a flurry of attacks. Link's arms leaped up to defend himself almost instinctively, his eyes narrowed to focus on her hands and her grip on the rapier.

"Oh, I know I can!" he swung his arm on top of the table and leaped over the stacks of blankets, throwing his weight forward for a stab. Once again Zelda dodged away, his blade glancing harmlessly off of her rapier, and she thrust her shoulder forward until their faces were centimeters from each other. Blades crossed beneath Link's chin, and he flashed Zelda his most winsome smile.

"You're going to regret this, princess."

Quirking an eyebrow in response, Zelda kicked the back of his knee and forced Link to the ground, but he brought the Master Sword up to force the rapier away from his neck. Link rolled over his shoulder and back onto his heels, drawing his arms in and forcing his sword out with a spinning, slashing motion. Zelda's rapier gave a mighty clang as the Master Sword punched through her careful defenses. Before he could make the most of his lead, though, Zelda dropped to her heel and kicked Link's feet out from under him. Her rapier smacked against Link's temple and he winced, pushing himself to his feet and centering the Master Sword for the next attack.

"I thought we agreed on non-lethal!" he raised a hand to his smarting forehead.

Zelda scoffed and drew her rapier to her side, the speed of her stroke ruffling the skirt of her sundress. "Cry more, Hero. That was nothing."

Racing down the length of the hall, Link ran past the tables of blankets and empty soup bowls and turned on his heel. The tip of the Master Sword rose like the dial of a compass to face Zelda, the two facing off as if in a joust. "En garde, Princess of Always Needing Rescue!"

"Oh, you _didn't,_ " Zelda called after him, although her expression betrayed a smile. "Come and get it, Hero of Sob Story Speeches and Mediocre Swordplay!"

Link placed a hand against his chest, feigning effrontery. "Your sword's not the only thing that can wound, Queen of Shouting Gangstadorf's Name in the Middle of Castle Town."

"It's a rapier!" Zelda sighed and ran after him, raising the rapier above her head for a swift, powerful overhead strike. Dodging to the side, Link straightened as the blade swung down to his right and brought his left elbow around for a quick thrust, electing to simply push Zelda away from his position and not smash his elbow into her face. To repay his kindness she boxed the hilt of her rapier into his ribs.

Flipping the grip of his sword to his other hand, Link spun and tapped the flat of the Master Sword against the back of her leg. "There, that's twice. Satisfied yet?"

"Satisfied?" brushing a strand of hair from her eyes, Zelda narrowed her eyes and flashed him a devilish smile. "I'm just getting warmed up, sweetheart."

The silver rapier flashed in the light as Zelda thrust her weight forward, feet shuffling across the marble floor of the hall as the tip of her blade probed for any weak points in Link's defenses. Flourishing a hand in the air, Link fended off her advances with a flick of his wrist and hooked the hilt of her blade with the end of the Master Sword. A gleam of silver arced over Zelda's head as she was disarmed, and the rapier clattered against the stone with a definitive crash.

Panting, Zelda bent her knees and brought her fists up. "This isn't over yet, Hero."

"You know it isn't," Link smirked and tossed the Master Sword aside. As he was reaching up to raise his fists Zelda's hand sliced for his neck and he ducked under her swipe, planting his weight and kicking out to deter her from another quick attack.

Zelda's eyes gleamed with excitement and the adrenaline of the sparring session. Graceful and silent, she ran forward and jumped for his shoulders with hands extended. Link dropped to a knee and planted his boot in the center of her abdomen, lightly lifting her from her feet and swinging her over his head. She recovered quickly and spun on her heel, hands raised to block Link's lightning-quick strikes to her face and arms. The heel of her hand planted itself in his stomach and he gasped for breath, grabbing her arm and rolling her weight over his shoulders and onto the marble floor.

Clutching Link's arm as she fell, Zelda dragged Link down with her as she fell to the ground. His palms pressed into the cool marble, bracing her shoulders as she lay beneath him. Golden hair fanning around her head and breathing hard from their impromptu sparring, Zelda had never appeared more beautiful. Her lips twitched up into a wry smile as Link hovered above her.

"What's on your mind, Hero?"

"I want to kiss you so badly right now, but I don't know if it's part of my knightly duties."

Zelda's expression softened into a sweet smile and she reached up to straighten his shirt collar, arms looping loosely around his neck. "The feeling is very much mutual. You're cute when you're flustered."

Fumbling for an answer, Link stammered out a string of unintelligible syllables and Zelda giggled. He was about to bring his lips to hers when a voice shouted from the end of the hall, startling the two out of their moment of privacy.

"Kiss her already, you idiot!"

Link sat back on his heels and ran a hand through his hair in a desperate attempt to make himself look presentable, but relaxed when he saw Pudge's shoulders shaking with laughter. One of the homeless of Hyrule that the Skyscraper now housed, Pudge had cleaned up nicely with a fresh set of clothes and a good shave. He had taken a shine to Link and knew his way of around the streets of Hyrule, helping rally the poor together to receive aid from the reformed crown of the realm.

"Did I ruin the moment?" he asked almost apologetically, but Link was sure he knew full well the answer to his question. From behind Pudge's broad form a cluster of observers poked their heads out through the broad oak doors of the hall. The wood was riddled with age-old arrow holes, providing more than enough peepholes for the crowd to peer through.

"I didn't realize we were the entertainment around here," Zelda laughed and waved at Pudge.

"Can't a guy get a little privacy in here?" Link called back to Pudge, who winked conspiratorially and gave him a thumbs-up.

"Sure thing, boss. You two have fun... Sparring." with another wink for good measure, the big man turned and waved off the crowd gathered at the doors. As soon as their footsteps faded away Link turned back to Zelda, watching the smile spread across her delicate features. "Where were we again?"

She pulled him closer and tangled her fingers in his hair, gently drawing his head towards hers. "Right about _here._ "

Her kisses were soft, filling him with warmth from head to toe, fingers dancing across his chest as she leaned into him. Link cupped her face with his hands, pulling away for only a second to breathe in her scent, admire her sparkling eyes and beaming smile. Their moment was pure and private, something becoming evermore rare as they extended their reach beyond Castle Town to the realm.

"I never want to leave. Can't this moment go on forever? No more paperwork or hostility, no more Bokoblins and no more goodbyes. Just you and me..."

"You don't know how much I want that," Link murmured, pulling Zelda into an embrace as they sat on the floor of the magnificent hall. Lights twinkled a thousand times around them, reflecting the golden ornaments and the golden mood that fell over the afternoon like a glorious haze.

"There's so much to do. So many people that monster Gangstadorf hurt... I don't know if we'll be able to undo it all, Link," Zelda whispered against his shoulder, her breath warm on his skin.

"Don't I know it. But we can't worry about that right now. You said it yourself – it's just you and me."

"Yeah?" she leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes glittering in the golden light.

"Yeah. 'Cause I'm with you to the end of the line, whether you like it or not."

Zelda's eyes flashed with mirth and she rested her chin on her hands. "Oh, great. Does that mean I'm stuck with you for eternity?"

Link shrugged, standing and extending a hand to help her from the floor. "I'm pretty sure our fates are bound by the magic of the goddesses or something. So, yeah, you're stuck with me."

"Good," Zelda rose to her feet and drew him in close, a finger tracing his lips with a delicate stroke. "Because there's no one I'd rather be stuck with than you."

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to future chapters along with you being amazing and sticking with this crazy story. Want to hear more about the postwar or more backstories? This is probably the closest to fluff I've ever written, and I hope I pulled it off :)**

 **By the way, if you like Marvel I'd recommend you go check out my newest story, _Repulse_! It's kind of my baby and I love it, so you will too!**

 **Until next time!**


	70. Bonus Chapter: Exterminate

**Wasn't originally going to post this chapter, but in honor of the two-days-past National Cheese Fry Day here we have it! Hope you enjoy peering into the mind of Hyrule's least favorite citizen...**

 **Read on!**

He didn't often venture out into the streets of Castle Town. They festered like cancer beneath his boots – ever growing with the squalor of the earth, filled to the brim with everything vile in the world, everything he despised. Laughter was stamped out beneath his soles, the upturned looks of hope cast down beneath the steely gazes of the surveillance cameras that lined the lanes.

What was the phrase? It eluded him then, as the first wafts of smoke drifted to the ash-colored heavens. Baptism by fire. This was his sacrifice to the goddesses, and Hyrule was his funeral pyre. Yes, he would enjoy watching them burn.

Ganondorf, as he used to be known, had come to make a change. But what was Ganondorf, really? He mulled over the ideas as the smoke grew thicker, his footsteps harsh and abrasive against the stone of the rough-cobbles streets. Was he a businessman? A politician? A dictator? A terrorist? He supposed he was all of those things. It made for an intriguing mixture.

There was no way around it. A blight had burrowed into the heart of Hyrule. It poisoned the young minds of the children, infected the men and women as they went about their daily lives. They complained endlessly until he stopped their complaining, permanently. Hatred was replaced with fear – but really, was it such a bad switch?

He was satisfied with what he had created. Ganondorf was a perfectionist, but he was sure that he could admit in the moment that he was pleased. He had severed the disease at its source, charring away the blight until it faded into oblivion. Only ashes would remain, and he would revel in his work. Perhaps then they would praise him for removing the enemy they somehow couldn't see.

This problem had plagued Ganondorf since the beginning. He saw enemies where the world saw heroes. When Hyrule reveled in peace, he saw the world teetering on the brink of apathy and laziness. When the world called for rest, Ganondorf called for the world to build. To shore up defenses, he believed, would prevent a future attack.

Hylians did not possess this foresight. Neither did the Zora, Gorons, or his own Gerudo. It was this very trait that exiled him from his own land, forcing him to turn to the public eye for support. And support... He mulled over this idea with a smile twisting his lips. No one could doubt he had found support.

Another thing the Hylians missed – they saw monsters where Ganondorf saw allies. A confusing thing, physical beauty. Perhaps that was why the Hylians were so attracted to their king and their princess, with charity balls and overwhelming humanitarianism. Ganondorf sneered at such sentiments, for he saw them for the facade they really were. One night of dancing with the richest of the rich, full of champagne and excitement, and then back to the world of abject poverty.

Hyrule was an illusion that the world didn't want to realize was false. He was merely shattering the hypnosis clenching them all, showing them the real world. It was gritty and bloody, indeed, but Ganondorf operated in the real world. He could make the real world new.

The buildings had been chosen particularly. Or maybe they hadn't. Ganondorf couldn't quite remember. But as the flames broiled to a burning intensity, searing his front as he stood a safe distance away, and timbers began to splinter before his eyes, any doubt that had crossed his mind vanished. This was the Hylian illusion: simple folk getting by, making do with what they had.

Ganondorf knew the desperate truths within. He knew the illegal liquor bar holed up in a corner of the apartments, and the stores of jewels stolen mere days ago hidden where their new owners figured no one would ever look. _Ganondorf_ looked. Ganondorf had eyes everywhere, where even the most careful and most diligent felt safe. The simple folk with their complicated history and flirtation with disaster. How tasteful that it was burned from them?

Screams electrified his blood, and a single globule of sweat danced down his spine in a smooth line. The heat was intense from his vantage point, a smarting sear on his exposed front. Despite the fiery temperature, Ganondorf lowered his hood over his forehead and watched as the smoke rose in great clouds from the building. A warm breeze had kicked up, darting through the alley behind him and snapping his cloak as he surveyed the scene. The sound of it all made for quite the symphony. Screams of longing and pain, the snap of wood and the crash as floors fell in on each other like a house of cards.

An explosion rippled from the structure, followed by an increase in the terrified shouts and sobs that threatened to deafen Ganondorf. A frown tugged on his sharp features; he was beginning to tire of this routine. He made a change, the people screamed, and then they had more to complain about. He stifled the complaining, they threw a fit again, and the cycle continued. People, Ganondorf deduced, were rather like young children. Petulant, whining, and ignorant of what was best for them, even when he explained it clearly.

Smoke filled the sky now, blocking out the stars to a smeared canvas of the darkest black. Churning columns of ash supported this new foundation, the pillars of his new empire wrought in the heart of Hyrule itself. Under Ganondorf, the fires never stopped burning. Soot clung to his lungs and drifted about his heavy boots. He wasn't quite sure if it was from flesh or fire, but he cared not either way.

Just when he had seen enough, the pattering of footsteps drew his attention to the entrance of the alleyway. Rasping breaths preceded the entrance of a young child, Hylian, who burst into view with long strides and ash-smeared limbs. Tears formed clear trails down his blackened cheeks.

He was everything Ganondorf despised, and the Gerudo had half the mind to strike him down at that very moment for it. The boy was everything he hated in the world: a privileged Hylian youth, whining about his measly problems in the center of the evil in the realm. For a moment he lost control of himself and his hand twitched towards the dagger at his side.

No, he would not indulge himself in this small killing. The boy was one of the millions who he intended to raze to the ground. What would one child mean in the face of the masses? His hand drifted down to his side, lips twitching into a grin as he sneered down at the child. Blood would spill again, but today was not that day.

Turning on his heel, Ganondorf pulled his cloak out behind him and strode down the street, leaving the sniveling child behind him. His thumb brushed against the hilt of his weapon and he smiled, fixing his hand around the cool metal in a vice grip.

 _Soon,_ he thought to himself with a grin, _soon all of Hyrule will kneel before this blade. And oh, what a day that will be._

 **Reviews, favorites and follows go to (National Cheese Fry Day) future chapters. I'm trying to explore every aspect of the world of Remnants, so what do you want to know? Past, present, or future, your wish is my command :)**

 **Thanks as always for reading! If you're still in the reading mood, go check out my new story _Repulse!_ It's officially my favorite thing and you should definitely give it a look.**

 **Until next time!**


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